A record number of volunteers have once again taken part in the Big Paddle Cleanup 2025.
The Decathlon-backed event ran from 24 May to 8 June, and engaged 4,228 volunteers – over 500 more people than in 2024.
Individuals, clubs, delivery partners and community groups, filled 2,129 sacks full of rubbish from our canals and rivers.
Within those sacks were 6,851 plastic bottles, 2,013 glass bottles, 4,059 cans and 10,804 food wrappers.
About 8,130 hours were spent out on our precious waterways across the country.
Chantelle Grundy, Paddle UK’s Access & Environment lead, said:
“It has been another incredible effort by everyone who has taken part.
“As a team we can’t thank you enough for your time and commitment cleaning up our precious waterways.
“Thank you for sending us your data and the amazing pictures, I wish we could use every one of the photographs we received.
“What a truly remarkable community we have. Thank you again.”
In May, Paris 2024 Olympians took part in a Big Paddle Cleanup event near their training base at Lee Valley White Water Centre.
Kimberley Woods, Adam Burgess and Mallory Franklin, joined a team of volunteers to help collect rubbish from the River Lee Navigation.
The following week, Paralympian gold medal winners Charlotte Henshaw MBE and Emma Wiggs MBE, as well as silver medalist Jack Eyers, all helped in a cleanup in Nottingham.
Paracanoe team members Jonathan Young and Stuart Wood also plucked rubbish from the canal.
