The second one with…
Despite the tragic discovery of a body in the Wandle just a few days earlier and a couple of hundred yards downstream from our meeting point at Plough Lane, our June cleanup went ahead with the blessing of the police (maybe they hoped we’d find something they hadn’t…)
Following on from May’s cleanup in Wandsworth, this was the second part of our joint event with Thames 21, LOCOG and the EU WATER project selected within the scope of the INTERREG IVA France (Channel) – England cross-border European cooperation programme, co-financed by the ERDF.
After an unusually sober Health and Safety briefing, our collapsible ladder proved invaluable for getting volunteers down the steep brambly banks and sheet-steel sides of this heavily-engineered section of the Wandle…
… where Andy organised our efforts on the grappling ropes…
… and the rubbish came pouring out…
… as fast as those on the banks could keep up with it:
Working our way slowly upstream through decades of muddy detritus, one of our volunteers even found Nemo…
… who soon found himself perched on another massive rubbish pile for Merton Council to collect…
… at least 20 carpets, 12 tyres, 11 bags of rubbish, 8 melamine boards, 7 shopping trolleys, 5 traffic cones, 3 bicycles, 3 toasters, 3 mops, 2 car seats, 2 pushchairs, 2 hoses, 2 wire cables, 1 corrugated plastic sheet, 1 flat plastic sheet, 1 lorry wheel, 1 mattress, 1 kettle, 1 boiler, 1 dustbin, 1 lawnmower, 1 long green pipe, 1 shopping basket, 1 large plastic trough, 1 roll of chicken wire , 1 bowling ball and 1 small plastic fish…
… before the rest of CSI Team Wandle formed up for a final photo…
… and kicked back from constabulary duties with a drink at the Leather Bottle!
Thanks to all our volunteers: Abi, Afzal, Andrew, Andy, Ann, Arndt, Ben, Carol, Cecilia, Chris, Debbie, Dominic, Doug, Erica, Gideon, Guy, Hannah, Hazel, Helen, Henry, James, Jo, Kay, Keith, Ken, Kevin, Kevin, Lyn, Maja, Mark, Mike, Morwenna, Nikki, Paul, Phil, Robert S, Robert W, Roger, Sally, Sarah, Sean, Si, Sihong, Steve, Tanya, Theo, Toby, Tom and Vicky
