Help Clean Up Local Parks and Open Spaces

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Tours of recycling centre also part of council's campaign

Hammersmith and Fulham Council is inviting local volunteers to join its Big Clean Up campaign, alongside council staff, workers from local charity Groundwork, and the council’s contractors Serco and Quadron.

The council is linking up with Thames21 for their riverside clean up on Saturday June 8 near Hammersmith Bridge, from 9.30am until 12noon. The foreshore will be cleared of litter and debris under and around the bridge, and help improve the area for people and the local wildlife.

Thames21 will provide safety boots for adults, gloves and socks, but children will need to bring their own Wellington boots. Children under 16 need to be supervised by parents. The council will also be holding a Big Clean Up on the river path near the bridge, at the same time.

Volunteers are asked to meet at Queen Caroline’s Dock, next to Hammersmith Bridge, at 9:30am. For more information and to confirm that you are attending, please visit Thames 21’s website – or contact organiser Judith Ressler on 07500 842283 or email judith.ressler@thames21.org.uk.

In Shepherd's Bush, local residents are invited to held clean up Silver Birch Sidings on June 7, 10.30am - 3pm, called Clean Up Silver Birch Sidings. The litter pick and tidy-up event is being held in conjunction with Groundwork, Crossrail and its contractors, BFK, H&F Council and the Canal & River Trust.

Silver Birch Sidings is a lovely and hidden bit of birch woodland nestled between Wormwood Scrubs and the Grand Union Canal.

Unfortunately this area has a bit of a litter problem as it is well used, but there is no vehicle access, which means there is no way of providing bins or removing rubbish. The accumulated rubbish is an eye-sore, a hazard and detrimental to the wildlife in this lovely spot.

Groundwork says their previous clean up helped to get rid of over 100 bags of litter but there is still more to do. Crossrail will be providing a skip and removing the rubbish after the event but they need as many people as possible to help clear the woods.

It is a bit tricky to find if you haven't been before as it is on the tow path on the south side of the Grand Union Canal between Scrubs Lane (A219) and Old Oak Lane (A4000).

You can also get there across the footbridge from the Gateway Estate on Hythe Rd, NW10 6RJ.

Volunteers are asked to register their interest in advance by emailing netty.ribeaux@groundwork.org.uk. You can find out more details and directions to the spot on the Scrubs Online website.

H & F residents are also invited to attend free tours to the recycling centre in Smuggler’s Way to see what happens to the waste they throw away.

The tours on Wednesday June 19 and Thursday June 20 start at 10.30am and last an hour and a half. A free bus will be available on both days. The bus will leave Hammersmith Town Hall at 9.45am on Wednesday June 19 and from Kensington Town Hall on Thursday at 9.45am. The maximum number of people per tour is 10 so book quickly, by emailing recycling@lbhf.gov.uk.

The council says it is working with local businesses, groups, organisations and residents’ associations to organise other similar events across the borough. If you would like to organise an event or volunteer to take part in the Big Clean Up, or for more information, visit The Big Clean Up or email cleaner.greener@lbhf.gov.uk.

 

June 5, 2013