Paddle boarders clean-up River Itchen

Volunteers have taken to Southampton’s River Itchen as part of a mass paddle board clean-up.

A mix of experienced and first-time paddlers were on the water to collect litter at the event, which was a joint initiative between organisers of the Southampton International Boat Show, British Marine, and one of the show’s official charity partners, Planet Patrol.

Volunteers collected a variety of rubbish and logged what they had found via an app, which analyses the litter, helping Planet Patrol better understand where it is coming from to hold brands accountable.

“Today’s clear up with our charity partner Planet Patrol aligns with our green pledge to make this year’s show the most sustainable yet,” says Lesley Robinson, CEO of British Marine.

According to Planet Patrol founder, Lizzie Carr, there was a fantastic turn out. She says this shows “just how much the Southampton community cares about their local surroundings. These local events are so important, not only do they reconnect people with nature and give them the opportunity to try water sports like paddle boarding for the first time, they also give individuals the power to take action and make a difference tackling this problem on the ground and contributing to our litter database so we can hold the big brands responsible to account.”