Over 1000 children learn from Canoe Cleaner and Council thanks to partnership

From recycling to litter picking, children from all over the borough have been learning about the importance of looking after the local environment thanks to a new partnership.

North East Lincolnshire Council and James Elliott, known as The Canoe River Cleaner, have been working hard to clean up the streets and open spaces across the borough.

James has been helping keep the River Freshney and streets clean for almost five years since being furloughed during Covid in 2020, working alongside groups of other volunteers to make a difference.

Now, he is expanding his efforts and working with the Council to clean up more of the area, adding to what is already being achieved through the Operation Clean and Green by Street Cleansing teams across North East Lincolnshire.

Since the partnership began, James has been working with local schools and hosting litter picks with members of the community across the borough, all with a strong focus on education. These activities have been funded by the Council.

The first three school sessions, held at Reynolds, Elliston and William Barcroft Primary Academies, have benefitted over 1000 children. Thank you to the schools taking part for welcoming us in and working together on such a valuable topic.

Going forward, James and the Council want to make sure future generations know exactly what to do to make the world a more sustainable place.

James said: “I’m thrilled to be doing so much with schools. Litter picks are great and they help no end, but to get into these places and teach the kids something is so important.

“They are going to be looking after this borough in the years to come and I want to do my bit to ensure, they have the knowledge they need to make it a better place.”

He is also keen to highlight the importance of the inland waterways and the wildlife which calls them home. “There’s lots of focus on our oceans and plastic pollution, but a large proportion of the litter comes from our rivers which feed them, and we need to shine a light on those too.”

Councillor Henry Hudson, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Net Zero, said: “This work is so important. Not only to ensure North East Lincolnshire is cleaner, but also to teach future generations about recycling and why it’s so important.”

He added: “I would like to thank James, our Street Cleansing teams and all the other volunteers across the borough for their hard work in making all this possible. The impact they are making is invaluable to the community.”