Another record-breaking litterpick for the OWLs. Eight enthusiastic volunteers, with the opportunity to welcome two new guys.
As always there was plenty to do and after the initial briefing – including, unusually, a request to sort drinks cans into separate rubbish sacks – we were off. Most of us are old hands at this and the new hands soon got the hang of things and were working effectively. Along the paths and into the various ‘hot spots’ with many yielding plenty of swag for us to collect. Our ‘permanent’ bags are being well-used, as is the bin we’ve placed on the footpath. Sadly some guys don’t seem to understand how to use a rubbish sack and throw their sexual debris into the bushes; potentially that’s more difficult than dropping their rubbish into the conveniently-place rubbish sacks. Do they do the same at home?! OWL believes that, as a facility used by a range of people, there is no need to piss others off by leaving used condoms, condom foils, lube sachets and so on all over the place. The recent cutting back of vegetation to expose (and ruin) several of the ‘hot spots’ seems to suggest that at least one ‘vigilante’ has taken it upon themselves to try to stop the horny action that goes on in the bushes.
Eventually it was time to take the ‘first half’ sacks back to the car park and enjoy a bit of friendly banter and some Covid-compliant refreshments.
Then on for more. We’ve noticed that some of the action has moved (maybe because of the cutting-back of vegetation?) nearer to Woodford New Road. We were on a mission to clear that area up.
There was plenty to deal with and two groups attacked the large amounts of litter – in newly-discovered ‘hot spots’ – with enthusiasm and efficiency!
We think it’s a lot better for everyone when it looks more like this – with only dappled sunlight on the ground:
To save us lugging sacks back to the car park our friends, the Forest Wardens, had agreed that we could leave some of the sacks near the traffic lights for them to collect.
Then a stroll back to base, taking in some of the other areas, including the nude sunbathing area.
And finally the task of sealing the remaining sacks and placing them by the road.
The final total, including two extra sacks collected by a volunteer when the rest had left, was 34 sacks of general litter and 26 of recyclable materials. That’s an amazing 60 sacks of litter which we think is a record-breaker. Since our April litterpick two of our lovely volunteers had also undertaken their own solo litterpicks, collecting a further 11 sacks. Giving a Grand Total of 71 sacks of litter over the last month.
Ten sacks of cans went off to be used in the creation of a piece of art! We’ll be pleased to see it in due course!
Although we always feel good when we collect record amounts of litter it would be better still if we didn’t have to!
If you think you might like to help keep the cruising area in a state that minimises the likelihood of complaints, feel free to join us at one of our litterpicks. We are a friendly group. Many of us cruise the woods. We welcome anyone with a bit of time to spare on the first Tuesday of each month. We publish details of forthcoming litterpicks on Squirt; dates of the rest of our OWL litterpicks for 2021 can be found by clicking here.
(Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)