Heybridge Basin Sailing Association started the ‘Pick Up Plastic for a Cleaner and Healthier Environment’ ball rolling!
On Saturday 24th the Heybridge Basin Sailing Association, Blackwater Sailing Club and Maldon Yacht Club did their bit to clean plastic from the River Blackwater. 30 HBSA members cleared the sea wall upriver to the bypass bridge from the Sunny Sailor, and from Hall Road along the sea wall to Heybridge Basin and also some of the Chelmer and Blackwater canal bank; Blackwater Sailing Club from Ballast Hole to Heybridge Basin and Maldon Yacht Club their side of the river.
The results after a couple of hours of picking!! It was agreed that the most common items were discarded polystyrene, the plastic from q-tips, dog poo bags with contents, plastic bags and plastic bottles and their tops. We finished up in The Jolly Sailor where the Landlady Vicky put on a surprise spread for us, the chips are amazing! We would also like to thank Maldon District Council for supplying the litter picking equipment, bags and high vis jackets, and clearing up away the rubbish.
Maldon Yacht Club reported: “We had a very successful morning & gathered a lot of rubbish, plastic & quite large pieces of wood. We could see plenty of people on your side of the river, so encouraging all round” We would encourage all other clubs who use our estuary and rivers to plan their own event, we are the ones who use the water and it is our responsibility to protect it and the wild life in the area.
Heybridge Basin Sailing Association invite you to Join the Plastic Clean Up Movement! Together we can make it happen.
Let’s clean up the beautiful River Blackwater.
**** UPDATE ****
The plastic pickup was a fantastic success. Take a look at what we achieved in the PDF below.