RiverCare is a great opportunity for community groups to get directly involved in improving their local river environment.
The project is ran in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy and encourages groups to tackle litter, carry out species surveys and habitat improvements in a safe, appropriate and rewarding way.
In 2010, 50 RiverCare groups held more than 200 events:
- 17,000 volunteer hours were given
- 7,300 bags of litter collected
- 2,800 bulky items were taken out of rivers
- 100 bicycles were dragged out of the River Cam
- 13 bicycles, 4 shopping trolleys, 3 road signs, a motorbike, a bed frame...
They also raised awareness of locally important species (such as the white-clawed crayfish and the water vole), removed graffiti, carried out wildlife surveys, reclaimed riverbanks from anti-social behavior and removed invasive plant species.
People of all ages can get involved and form groups with neighbors, sports clubs, work colleagues or a youth group. To get a group started, we provide:
- Advice from Keep Britain Tidy's specialists.
- A starter kit of equipment which contains gloves, litter pickers, first aid kit, throw line and sharps box.
- Free insurance cover for most types of community groups.
- Contact with experts for further advice and help.
- Help finding funding opportunities for further work or equipment.
If you have an idea for a RiverCare project that you would like to do, visit the Rivercare website to find out more.