12 volunteers joined the Living Waterways team in West Boldon on Saturday 26th November for the latest clean up of the River Don! The group of all ages helped remove a lorry-load of rubbish from the river, helping to improve the water quality for wildlife and reduce the risk of flooding that can occur as a result of blockages.
The catches of the day included two supermarket trolleys, several bikes, a carpet and a collection of golf balls not forgetting the token traffic cone. Despite this the River Don is still a haven for protected species such as the water vole and the hard work undertaken by the volunteers has made an invaluable difference to the stream for people and wildlife.
The River Don project is funded through the Community Foundation for Tyne & Wear’s Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF).
Local residents are welcome to get involved in the clean up events which will continue throughout 2012. Look out on the Durham Wildlife Trust website for the next river clean up in your area.
For more information on the Living Waterways Project or to find out how to get involved please contact Patsy Ryan on 0191 584 3112 or email pryan@durhamwt.co.uk
