Ellesmere Port’s boat museum is giving people the chance to paddle out to purge plastic from the town’s waterway.
A free paddleboard session is on offer to help reduce plastic pollution.
Double world record holder and environmental activist Lizzie Carr is asking the community to join her on Saturday, July 14 to support her efforts in ridding the waterway of plastics.
Lizzie, who held a similar event at the museum last year, is holding #PlasticPatrol clean up sessions across 12 locations in the UK this summer to clean the country’s waterways.
In May 2016 Lizzie became the first person in history to paddle board the length of England’s waterways solo and unsupported. She completed the 400-mile journey in 22 days, plotting over 2,000 photos of plastic pollution she encountered and earning international recognition for her efforts.
Last year she become the first female in history to solo stand up paddle board across the English Channel, a record breaking seven hour long crossing highlighting the bigger environmental story about plastic pollution in our oceans.
During this time Lizzie also launched #PlasticPatrol her nationwide initiative to tackle the 80% of marine debris that comes from inland canals and rivers.
She says: “The huge response to the increasing awareness of the issue with plastic pollution has spurred me on to run more clean ups in 2018, enlisting further support from local communities.
“By getting involved people are able to try a new activity, meet like-minded people and get fit but, above all, fight the global issue of plastic pollution choking our waterways.”
Saturday’s clean up is completely free to attend. Anyone who wishes to paddle board must reserve a time via the website www.PlasticPatrol.co.uk
No experience is necessary. For anyone who wants stay on land there will also be an opportunity to clean up the towpaths simultaneously, people just need to turn up. Individuals are also welcome to bring their own canoes, kayaks or paddle boards.
The boat museum held another plastic pollution crackdown earlier in the summer when an all-female team set off from South Pier Road on a 150 mile (240km) long kayak journey to raise awareness of the issue. Their trip took them to the Canal & River Trust’s sister museum in Gloucester.
The Canal & River Trust’s head of museums Graham Boxer said at the time: “Our inland waterways are a source of enjoyable and healthy activities for many thousands of people, whether in boats, walking, cycling, fishing or just being close to nature.
National Waterways Museum
“But we know from our own experience that sadly they can also be a dumping ground for unwanted items of all shapes and sizes.”
Mr Boxer believes people would be shocked at how much plastic there is in the water.
