Green Party councillors will be joining members of the local community on Saturday 29th October to clean up the River Wensum and its banks. Norwich Green Party has held a number of clean-up events over the past five years and continues to campaign to keep the river cleaner and safer.
Councillor Gary Champion said:
“On previous events, Green councillors have helped to pull up to 40 bags of rubbish out of the river. We’ve found bicycles and plenty of scary things that shouldn’t have been in there. With Halloween just around the corner, I’m frightened by the state of our water. Sewage has been discharged onto beaches all along the south coast and here in Norfolk, sewage is pumped into rivers during heavy rainfall.”
In January 2022, Councillor Lucy Galvin proposed a motion to Norwich City Council asking for the River Wensum to be given the Freedom of the City (1). Away to confer the honour on the river could not be found, but Councillor Galvin’s request highlighted the value of the Wensum which is a chalk stream. There are fewer than 300 chalk streams worldwide, offering valuable habitat for wildlife (2).
The group of river cleaners will be meeting at Pull’s Ferry, Ferry Lane, NR1 4DZ at 10.30am on Saturday 29th October. They will be cleaning the river and its banks while scuba divers clear the river bed.
Councillor Champion added:
“We will provide equipment for anyone who wants to come along and join us on the day. We can all show how much we care about our river by helping to keep it clean. We’ll be hard at it from 10.30 to 12.30, but if you can’t make the whole two hours, do come along for part of it. As well as the scuba divers, we’re being supported by Norwich Cathedral, Pub&Paddle and GoodGym. Thanks to all of them and to anyone who can come to help.”
Keep Britain Tidy are launching a campaign to cut waste and litter over Halloween. Councillors are delighted to be supporting the Hallowclean campaign, helping to combat the terrifying amount of waste created at this time of year (3).
Notes:
1: New move to honour and protect River Wensum is welcomed – Norwich (greenparty.org.uk)
2. http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/wwf_chalkstreamreport_final_lr.pdf
3. www.keepbritaintidy.org/news/will-you-help-us-tackle-horrors-litter-and-waste-hallowclean
Norwich Green Party has ten councillors on Norwich City Council, where it forms the main opposition party, and three on Norfolk County Council, representing the wards of Mancroft, Nelson and Thorpe Hamlet in Norwich.