Cardiff Rivers Group Bute Park Canal Feeder

Another successful event at the canal feeder last weekend ! Between both weekends, we managed to clear from it’s source at the river Taff up to the North Road Ambulance Depot – great work. We aim to return to this area next month, during Keep Wales Tidy Week [ see their website for further details on that ]

Read all about last weekend on the Guardian Blog, and check out the photographs on our galleries.

The CRG Calendar has been updated with our future dates – view it at the bottom of this page. You’ll notice that our next event is the Great Taff Tidy – click on the poster for more information.

thanks,

dafydd

Forest Farm Event Review

Thanks to everyone who joined us over the weekend, both in the pub and on the Taff Trail on Sunday. We managed to litterpick and clear a whole mile, from the Melingriffith Water Pump [see Friends of Melingriffith Water Pump website] to Radyr Weir in glorious sunshine.

Read all about it on the Guardian Local, where our very own Louise has been the guest blogger ;

Our volunteers from Cardiff Rivers Group had a pleasant surprise when we went out to clean the River Taff in the sunshine this weekend, as we struggled to find much rubbish.
18 volunteers turned up at Forest Farm to collect litter from the Taff Trail and adjacent river. But after only an hour of litter-picking, we had cleared litter from a mile-long stretch so turned our efforts to removing some of the overgrown vegetation along the path.

Full Article River clean up finds Taff mostly litter-free

Visit our Flickr account for photos from Sunday, view as a Forest Farm Slideshow or See all Flickr albums

In other news, we've decided to have a CRG Facebook Group, join to show your support, leave comments, add photographs, join in discussions etc. Facebook Group

Our next event will be on Saturday the 26th of June, close to the Blackweir bridge. More details to follow. If you would like to attend, please get in touch, we're always interesting in getting new members.

Hailey Park Review

A big thanks to everyone who came along last Sunday to lend a hand and a warm welcome to all our new volunteers! We had another successful event and managed to remove tons of waste from the riverbank, much of which had been there for many years.
We can confirm that the waste was removed on Monday.

Photos from both Saturday and Sunday have been uploaded to our
Flickr Galleries so you can see the difference we made

The Guardian Cardiff Blog has once again covered our event with a write up, read all about it here.

We have another event at the end of this month. We plan to tackle the Llandaff Weir area. These details will be confirmed next week. If you would like more information, or would like to confirm your attendance on the 29th of May, please contact us [details to the right]

CRG Enjoy a litter-pick in the sunshine

Volunteers from Cardiff Rivers Group took full advantage of the fabulous weekend weather as they donned their new, exclusively-designed, Keep Wales Tidy T-shirts on their latest litter-pick along the Taff Trail.

20 volunteers proudly wore their Gren-designed shirts as they collected 40 bags of litter along with 4 old trollies, loads of scrap metal and piping and even a motorbike from the River Taff! Cardiff CC disposed of all collected waste.

Following the event, the hard working volunteers, which included 5 new recruits, were invited into the nearby McDonalds for free refreshments, courtesy of the restaurant manager.

From May 2010, Cardiff Rivers Group will be increasing their activities to 2 events per month to include Sunday activities. The groups’ next event will be on Sun 16th May.

Cardiff Rivers Group are always looking for new volunteers, so if you would like to lend a hand, please contact us.

April Update

A big Thank You to all for coming along last Saturday and for all your hard work! We collected 40 sacks of rubbish, 1 motorbike, 4 old trollys, loads of scrap metal and piping. A really great effort.

All the rubbish has since been removed.

Louise has uploaded her photographs to our flickr account, you can see them on our little slideshow below left, or visit flickr here.

We had a mention on the new 'Guardian Cardiff' website this morning ! Guardian Local : Cardiff : Monday 19 April

Cardiff Rivers Group in action again

As part of the Tidy Towns Project, volunteers rolled up their sleeves last week to remove rubbish from the woodlands alongside the river Taff upstream of Blackweir.

11 volunteers from Cardiff Rivers Group collected 30 bags of litter along with some trollies, metal and lots of cabling. Cardiff CC disposed of all collected waste

Following the event, the hard working volunteers which included 4 new recruits, were invited into the nearby McDonalds for free refreshments, courtesy of the restaurant manager.

Cardiff Rivers Group was formed in 2009 as part of the Tidy Towns project, a partnership between Keep Wales Tidy and Welsh local authorities. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government it supports the people of Wales to improve the quality of their local environment.

The group is delighted to have been awarded a second grant from Keep Wales Tidy of £625. This grant will enable them to purchase tools, equipment and their own stock of lifejackets and waders. Although the group has achieved significant success with tackling litter on the banks and paths next to the river to date, they have had to leave a lot of unsightly waste that has been caught on the low-lying branches on the banks due to its inaccessibility.

Group Vice-chairman, Brian Dickman said, ”This grant from Keep Wales Tidy is very welcome indeed. Until now we have had to rely on the assistance of anglers to help us retrieve items from the river itself as they have their own waders. Now we can buy necessary waders and safety equipment for other group members to enable them to enter the water to remove the caught rubbish. Our next challenge is to acquire a boat so we can really make a difference to the banks of the river Taff!”

“The new KWT group insurance scheme is also a fantastic initiative. Our application was quickly approved and we can now carry out our practical activities safe in the knowledge that all volunteers are adequately insured” he added.

From May 2010, Cardiff Rivers Group will be increasing their activities to 2 events per month to include Sunday activities. The groups’ next event will be on Sat 17th April.

Cardiff Rivers Group are always looking for new volunteers, so if you would like to lend a hand, please contact us.

March Photographs and CRG Publications

Dear all,

Thanks to everyone who came along to our last event – a special thank you to all our new volunteers....we hope you enjoyed it! If you would like to see the pics please visit flickr.com/photos/sets

A poster has been drawn up with all our planned future dates. You will notice that we will start doing 2 events a month from May when we will start holding events on Sundays for those who cannot make Saturdays. I have also attached a flyer which explains a bit more about our group. Please feel free to pass on to anyone who may be interested in taking part [PDF versions of these are available - email us for copies]

Regards,
Louise

CRG Tackle Pontcanna Fields

As part of the Tidy Towns Project, volunteers rolled up their sleeves on Sat 20th February to tackle rubbish that was strewn along banks of the River Taff and in the woods in Pontcanna fields.

Eight volunteers from Cardiff Rivers Group collected 27 bags of litter which Cardiff CC disposed.
Cardiff Rivers Group was formed in 2009 as part of the Tidy Towns project, a partnership between Keep Wales Tidy and Welsh local authorities. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government it supports the people of Wales to improve the quality of their local environment. The group has recently been awarded a grant from Keep Wales Tidy and FREE insurance cover. £539.28 has been secured by the group which has enabled them to purchase their own stock of equipment and tools. The money has been used to buy litter-pickers, small hand tools, health and safety equipment, grappling hooks and other necessary items for their practical projects. This equipment was used for the first time on Saturday.

Group treasurer, Cath Leggett said, ”This grant from Keep Wales Tidy is very welcome indeed. Until now we have had to borrow equipment for each clean-up, but we are now well resourced and have enough tools for all our volunteers. The new KWT group insurance scheme is a fantastic initiative. Our application was quickly approved and we can now carry out our practical activities safe in the knowledge that all volunteers are adequately insured”.

The group are always looking for new volunteers, so if you would like to lend a hand, please contact Louise Tambini on 07824 504790 or email louise.tambini@keepwalestidy.org.

The groups’ next event will be on Sat 20th March.

Go to our Flickr Galleries

December 2009 Clear Up Review

PRESS RELEASE
CARDIFF RIVERS GROUP IN ACTION AGAIN



As part of the Tidy Towns Project, volunteers from across Cardiff rolled up their sleeves on Sat 12th December to tackle rubbish that is strewn across the bed and banks of the River Taff.
Cardiff Rivers Group joined forces with Llandaff Rowing club and Glamorgan Anglers for the project, and together they removed 30 bags of rubbish aswell as large items including a chemical drum, ladder and carpet. Cardiff CC disposed of all the collected waste.
Volunteer, Dave King said, ”I really enjoy these partnership events. It is great when we can join other like-minded groups to tackle a problem together. Not only do more hands make light work but we get to meet new friends aswell”.
Cardiff Rivers Group was formed earlier this year as part of the Tidy Towns project which is a partnership between Keep Wales Tidy and Welsh local authorities. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government it supports the people of Wales to improve the quality of their local environment.
The initial idea for the group came from Glamorgan Anglers who wanted to tidy up their leased waters. After contacting Keep Wales Tidy, other members of the community joined in and Cardiff Rivers Group was formed. The 7 enthusiastic committee members include anglers, local residents and environmentalists who share the same desire to see the riverside environment of Cardiff litter-free. Assisted by Keep Wales Tidy, they have already undertaken a number of clean-ups of their adopted stretch of the River Taff which runs through the Gabalfa and Pontcanna areas of the City.
Brian Dickman, a volunteer from Glamorgan Anglers said, “As anglers we are committed environmentalists and are determined to improve the quality of the rivers of Cardiff for all to enjoy. Being part of Cardiff Rivers Group is a great way to promote our beautiful riverine environment and ensure it is looked after for years to come”
The group’s next event will take place in the New Year. All volunteers are welcome so if you would like to lend a hand, please contact Louise Tambini on 07824 504790 or email louise.tambini@keepwalestidy.org.

November 2009 Clear Up

PRESS RELEASE

As part of the Tidy Towns Project, volunteers from across Cardiff will be rolling up their sleeves on Sat 14th November to tackle rubbish that is strewn across the bed and banks of the River Taff.

Cardiff Rivers Group will be joining forces with Llandaff Rowing club to tackle both banks of the River Taff above Llandaff weir. Volunteers will litter-pick the banks and riverside paths, whilst the more adventurous helpers will be using boats to remove rubbish from the riverbed itself. Cardiff CC will dispose of all the collected waste.

The Tidy Towns Project is a partnership between Keep Wales Tidy and Welsh local authorities. It is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and supports the people of Wales to improve the quality of their local environment.

Cardiff Rivers Group Volunteer, Dafydd Meurig said, ”I am really looking forward to this partnership event with the rowing club. It is great when we can join other like-minded groups to tackle a problem together. Not only do more hands make light work but we get to meet new friends aswell”.



Wales Online Article : Volunteers brave wind and rain to clean river

October 2009 Clear Up Review

PRESS RELEASE
CARDIFF RIVERS GROUP TACKLE THE TAFF



The newly-formed Cardiff Rivers Group cleared rubbish from the banks of the River Taff on Saturday 17th October.
8 volunteers spent 2 hours on the banks of the Taff below Llandaff Weir and collected 2 tonnes of waste from the riverbanks and island; they also found a bike, trolley, several carpets and bags of plastic bottles.
Group Secretary Dave King, said, “I absolutely detest litter and am 100% committed to eradicating it from the environment. Today, 8 volunteers just spent a couple of hours and we managed to collect loads of rubbish. The difference it has made to the appearance of the riverbank is incredible!”
Dave was one of the founder members of Cardiff Rivers Group which was formed earlier this year as part of Keep Wales Tidy’s ‘Tidy Towns’ project. All members were interested in volunteering and so decided to form a group of their own. They now have 7 enthusiastic core members who all share the same desire to see the riverside environment of Cardiff litter-free, and assisted by Keep Wales Tidy, they have already undertaken a number of clean-ups of their adopted stretch of the River Taff which runs through the Gabalfa and Pontcanna areas of the City.
Group Member, Louise Tambini said, “Our group consists of cycling enthusiasts, anglers, walkers, local residents and volunteers who have a keen interest in the well-being of the local environment. We meet once a month during the winter months. I live in Canton and regularly walk along the river. It is much more pleasant when it is litter-free. Litter-picking is actually very therapeutic and we get a lovely response from users of the Taff Trail who thank us for our efforts – if only a few more joined in to help!”

Additional Photographs : [soon!]

Article : walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news

September 2009 Clear Up Review

PRESS RELEASE
CARDIFF RIVERS GROUP KICK OFF TIDY WALES WEEK



The newly-formed Cardiff Rivers Group kicked off Tidy Wales Week on Saturday 19th September with a clean-up of the banks of the River Taff in Cardiff.
5 volunteers spent 3 hours walking the Taff Trail collecting 15 bags of rubbish from the riverbanks; they also found a fridge and many bags of dog mess which un-responsible dog owners had thrown into trees!
Group Secretary, Dave King, is so committed to ridding Wales of litter that he has taken the week off work so he can dedicate his time to litter-picks every day of Tidy Wales Week!! Not only will he spend his holidays cleaning up areas of Cardiff, but he is also joining Keep Wales Tidy staff and volunteers to remove flytipping from woodlands in Newport and litter from sand dunes in Merthyr Mawr.
Dave, said, “I absolutely detest litter and am 100% committed to eradicating it from the environment. Tidy Wales Week is a great initiative that anyone can get involved in. If everyone did just one event in their local area, it would make a huge difference!”
Dave was one of the founder members of Cardiff Rivers Group which was formed earlier this year as part of Keep Wales Tidy’s Nationwide, ‘Tidy Towns’ project. All members were volunteering as individuals on the project when they decided to form a group of their own. They now have 7 enthusiastic core members who all share the same desire to see the riverside environment of Cardiff litter-free, and assisted by Keep Wales Tidy, they have already undertaken a number of clean-ups of their adopted stretch of the River Taff which runs through the Gabalfa and Pontcanna areas of the City.
Group Member, Louise Tambini said, “Our group consists of cycling enthusiasts, anglers, walkers, local residents and volunteers who have a keen interest in the well-being of the local environment. We meet once a month during the winter months for a few hours. I live in Canton and regularly walk along the river. It is much more pleasant when it is litter-free. Litter-picking is actually very therapeutic and we get a lovely response from users of the Taff Trail who thank us for our efforts – if only a few more joined in to help!”
Tidy Wales Week has kicked off their monthly programme of winter works. The next event will take place on Saturday 17th October where they intend to tackle the large build-up of rubbish below Llandaff weir.
New volunteers are always welcome, so if you would like to spend a few hours in the fresh air and make a difference to environment then please contact Louise Tambini on 029 2072 6976 or 07824 504790.

Additional Photographs . . . .