The one with Yorick and the shotgun…

When Michael and Jo at Wandsworth Council asked us to join London’s official Capital Cleanup Campaign, it was an invitation we couldn’t refuse…

… so we threw this month’s 65 volunteers a challenge: Ravensbury Terrace, the monthly Riverfly Monitoring stretch of the Wandle just below Earlsfield railway bridge and Trewint Street’s fly-tipping blackspot. 

Those who’d hoped for a big one warmed up with a waterlogged retro-futuristic armchair:

… and the human chain swung into action along the bank:

Felix found the final traces of a ram-raided hole-in-the-wall we’d retrieved upstream, years ago…

 … while one of our younger volunteers pulled out most of a safe-cracker’s toolkit, drills, saws and all…

 … and CSI Gill demonstrated (yet again, before taking another unscheduled swim with the fishes) her flawless instinct for discarded gangland weaponry!

Most macabrely, alongside some amazingly heavy fishing tackle…

… a sinister rubber Shakespearean (or was it just Hallowe’en?) prop also appeared…

… perfectly on cue to horrify our friends from Project Dirt: Mark and Nick, who’d arrived with cameraman Jack to interview Bella in her natural environment…

… before Wandsworth Council’s cage lorry came to take the rubbish away…

 … and leave our kind neighbours Richard and Tricia Sinclair in peace to enjoy the rest of their afternoon beside a newly-sparkling stretch of river: big thanks to them for letting us use their facilities, and for the generous supply of biscuits and hot water!

Thanks to all our volunteers: Abi, Agnes, Andy B, Andy P, Ann, Barry, Ben, Billy, Brin, Bruce, Chris, Coco, Debbie, Diana, Douglas, Duncan, Eddie, Elspeth, Erica, Estelle, Felix, G Jerkovic, Gideon, Gill, Helene, Ian, Itake, James, Jack, Jamilia, Jane, Jasone, Jessica, Jo H, Jo L, John, Keith, Ken, Les, Liz, Luko, Madhu, Maggie, Mike, Natasha, Nichola, Nicola, Nick G, Nick M, Nick S, Paul, Peter, Phil, Rigby, Rob, Rory, Rufus, Sally, Stephen, Steve, Steve C, Steve K, Sue, Theo and Tom