A wild deer was an unexpected guest at this year’s Big Paddle Cleanup flagship event in Sutton Coldfield.
Royal Sutton Coldfield CC hosted the event, on Saturday 7 June, with the support of Decathlon – a Paddle UK commercial partner.
About 60 people, including a team from Decathlon, joined the cleanup on the canal near Brownhills Canoe Centre.
Paddlers were excited when they saw a female roe deer chewing grass on the canal side unperturbed by the activity of the water.
Chantelle Grundy, Access and Environment Lead at Paddle UK, said:
“We were thanked for our efforts by local people and had the pleasure of the company of a deer, which really highlighted why protecting our environment is so important.”
Decathlon has been fully behind the great work paddlers do in helping keep our waterways free of rubbish.
They supported the cleanup by providing food and refreshments, and gifts for volunteers. A new paddleboard was donated to the club.
Becky Lillico, Environmental Impact and Waste & Resource Lead, Decathlon UK, said:
“It was incredibly exciting to join forces with the Royal Sutton Coldfield Canoe Club for this pivotal Paddle UK Flagship Event.
“Witnessing local communities come together, fueled by their passion for the water, and actively improving the cleanliness of their local environment is truly inspiring.
“Decathlon’s mission is to make sport safe and accessible for everyone, and this event is a perfect example of that commitment in action!”
About 10 huge sacks full of junk were collected along with four shopping trolleys and a lot of wood.
Royal Sutton Coldfield Canoe Club, which was established in 1990, said it was delighted to have been the hosts for this year’s Big Paddle Cleanup flagship event.
“Keeping the canal litter-free is essential not only for paddlers but also for the diverse wildlife that calls it home,” said a club spokesperson.
“We are the visitors here, and it’s our responsibility to respect and protect this shared space.”
Chantelle Grundy added:
“What an inspiring afternoon on the water with Royal Sutton Coldfield Canoe Club members removing junk and litter from their local canal.
“We removed plenty of plastic and glass bottles along with all sorts of unusual finds, with a young member even removing a green scooter.
“The welcome BBQ and prizes provided by our partner Decathlon were a great way to recognise the efforts of club volunteers at Royal Sutton Coldfield Canoe Club.”
Claim Your Decathlon Reward
To show appreciation for the invaluable efforts of everyone participating in the Big Paddle Cleanup, Decathlon is delighted to offer a special reward.
All individuals who submit log their cleanup after their event will receive a £5 Decathlon voucher, redeemable on the Decathlon app at the end of the campaign period.
To take advantage of this offer and receive your voucher, participants will need a free Decathlon membership account.
Signing up is quick and easy – simply visit https://account.decathlon.com/en-GB to create your account today and ensure you can claim your reward for helping protect our precious waterways.