How to organise a paddle cleanup

Become a champion of your local waterways and organise a paddle cleanup.

In 2023, the Big Paddle Cleanup saw 2,121 volunteers record 1,326 sacks of rubbish.

Accordingly, those paddlers went on to collect 5,043 single-use plastic bottles, 2,866 cans, 1,458 glass bottles and 6,258 food wrappers.

• Gather friends or family and make a plan. 
• Think about equipment. Gloves, bags and hand sanitisers are essential. Add some litter pickers too. 
• Plan a date and time to meet. Remember you don’t all need to be ON the water. There’s plenty of litter on the banks.
• Let your local MP know what you’ve been up to, or better still, invite them to join you.
• Here’s a Big Paddle Cleanup template letter that you could use.

Free toolkit

A free toolkit has been made for you to download.

There’s lots of advice and handy hints and tips to get you started.

The toolkit also includes a Paddle Cleanup poster to help you promote your event.

There is a sample press release so you can tell others about your good work.

After your cleanup, don’t forget to:

• Empty out your recyclables into those items that can be recycled and those that have to go to landfill. 
• Tell us about your cleanup and upload your photos

It will help build a bigger picture of the pollution problem that water users are facing.

It is great to shout about all the fantastic work paddlers are doing for the environment. 

Please note that while we are really keen for you to take part in Paddle Cleanups, please ensure you have undertaken all necessary risk assessments, have the appropriate insurances in place and secured any necessary consents.