| See also |
|---|
Press Release
[04/04/05] The Great Cam Clean-Up
FORGET spring cleaning your house: Camboaters – the community of boat owners living along the River Cam - will be cleaning up the River Cam in a Great Cam Clean-Up on Sunday 10 April. A team of boaters will be heading out between 8am and noon armed with bin bags and rubber gloves to tackle the rubbish-strewn banks and water between Bottisham Lock and Granchester.
Last year the environmentally friendly boaters collected over 600 litres of recyclable litter and nearly 700 litres of non-recyclable plastics and cans that had got blown in from picnics and passers-by, or washed down in the stream. Mike Smith from narrowboat Barkley, who took part in last spring’s Cam Clean-Up and who will be getting stuck in again this time round, says, ”Not only is it a worthwhile thing to do from an environmental point of view, it’s also good fun and gives you a great sense of achievement.”
As events such as the Cam Clean-Up demonstrate, boaters living in Cambridge continue to be actively involved in city life as a whole. Representatives of Camboaters have been involved in discussions with the Council regarding the introduction of a proper mooring policy and fees. Although the vast majority of permanent live-aboards are happy to contribute to the finances of the city as well as continue paying their river licence to fund upkeep of the river, there are a few contentious issues as to the best and fairest way to charge these fees. The Camboaters Association is positive about the expected outcome of the consultation. Robin Cocker, chair of the Association, comments ”We are delighted that the Council recognise the importance of the boating community as an integral part of the city, and are working hard to design a fair mooring scheme.”
Forthcoming public events organised by Camboaters include a repeat of last summer’s hugely successful Open Boats Day – to be renamed the River Festival to reflect the festivities of the occasion. Visit camboaters.co.uk for information on what will be on offer then and meanwhile. And if anyone would like to join in the Great Cam Clean-Up on Sunday 10th April, get your wellies and rubber gloves out and come down to the river to join in the fun!
For press information, please contact Monica Guy or Robin Cocker via info@camboaters.co.uk.