Author Archives: Neil Frost

OWL’s Christmas Special Litterpick. This year attended by just the three original OWLs! Plus a friendly Masters student who had come to find out what we were all about. Great to meet her and good to get some lovely positive, objective, feedback both about OWL and about our website. She seemed to enjoy being with us and we appreciated her help.

The Safety Briefing first and then off on our well-rehearsed route through the cruising ground, picking up litter on our way to the various Hot Spots and the rubbish sacks we’ve left there to make it easy for guys to dispose of their sexual debris considerately.

It was a good day to be out in the woods!

Nothing like as much litter as we are used to, thankfully. Maybe because there’s a new Epping Forest warden who is litter-picking in that area and certainly because the weather has reduced the amount of activity taking place (but don’t let that put you off – there are plenty of guys still visiting, both daytime, evening and night till late!). Festive headgear was a must!

Not sure what head-banging action must have shaken these off…!

With a lighter load we were able to return to the car park for some excellent festive refreshments. A selection of warm mince pies, mulled wine, hot drinks. What’s not to like?!

Onward for the second half of the litterpicking session and evidence of the variety of activities and customs that take place deep in the woods!

Some areas were still more littered than others, increasing our sack-count considerably.

One of our lowest hauls ever! Just 9 sacksfull – 6 of rubbish and 3 of recylable bottles and cans (well, whatever else is being swallowed by the guys there it isn’t cold drinks at this time of year!)

Hopefully the owner of this Debit card, found on our walk through the woods, has cancelled it. But if they want it back, or want us to cut it up, they can email us at our usual email address: owlsnaresbrook@gmail.com.

That’s it for the OWLs in 2019. Another successful year. In total an amazing 299 sacks of rubbish collected this year. That’s a lot of offensive litter that won’t be drawing negative comments or getting official complaints from other users of the area. And a benefit to the wildlife too!

(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)

Another great group of guys turned up for this litterpick, committed to cleaning up litter and sexual debris and generally helping to make the environment better for everyone.

Safety briefing over, we were soon on the case, visiting the various ‘hot spots’ where guys go to have their fun.

We think we know all of the hotspots, and are pleased to see that they are well-used. But this wifi hot spot seemed dead! No connection.

It’s good to see that many people are doing the decent thing, being considerate of the environment and of others, and, when they’ve finished their fun, putting their litter in the rubbish sacks we’ve left strategically placed around the various hotspots. And they are easy for us to empty.

Unsurprisingly for this time of year there wasn’t as much litter as there sometimes is, giving us the opportunity to take an early refreshment break.

Then back for more of the same, visiting some of the areas we sometimes don’t have time to go to.

Oops! So easy to lose your keys when you’re concentrating on other things!

Rather conveniently the rain started just as we were finishing. Just time to staple the bags closed and put them by the road for collection.

Another good haul. 14 sacks of general rubbish and 11 of recycling.

Thanks for another great litterpick, guys.

 (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)

Great to have such a talented group of volunteers ready and willing. And they were prepared to pick up litter as well!

Spreading out through the woods we took our usual routes, grabbing litter on the way and visiting the various hot spots.

It’s always good to see that the black sacks we’ve placed strategically around the cruising area are being well used.

It made someone happy!

And good to see that there is now much less litter around than when we started our OWL litterpicking several years ago.

Having covered a large area it was time to head back for a drink, a snack and a bit of a catch-up

Talking of eating, some like a big fat sausage and some prefer something a lot thinner.

But there is no peace for the wicked and it was time to head off for more of the same.

And something a bit different. Apologies to the person’s camp we removed. It looked like you had moved out a long time ago.

Then onward again. There’s always something to be found.

And the final sack-count? Twenty six rubbish sacks.

Thanks to our excellent volunteer litterpickers who make so much difference. And thanks to the increasing number of guys who are disposing of their litter considerately.

 (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)

A bit extra on the side! The senior OWLs decided to add an extra litterpicking session, before the regular session next Tuesday, 8^th October.

We’d spotted a considerable amount of litter on a previous litterpick in an area that used to be heavily used for cruising many years ago but which we thought had gone out of fashion. Not so it seemed. It was being used, and used well. Possibly a better maze of narrow paths than elsewhere; an opportunity to explore and find just who you are looking for among them; and plenty of places to head to for some more intimate exploration.

With special permission given to gain access to our starting point, along the Lido Road, it was a prompt start, which we needed as the weather forecast was pretty dire.

Making our way round paths that were new to some, and which brought back happy memories of the past to others, our litterpicking soon bore fruit and our sacks started filling.

And it started to rain. Well, actually it chucked it down. But we were prepared and it was possibly more sheltered in the woods than elsewhere.

It was clear to us that this area is still well-used (although we couldn’t make out where people parked to use it; is it a pedestrian facility?)

A break for refreshments and to restock with rubbish sacks.

And then back for more. A few ‘camps’ we found would have taken much of a full litterpick just to clear each of them so we had to leave them.

Nevertheless, we’d had a good session for just three volunteers and managed to collect 18 sacks of mixed rubbish which we could leave, by previous agreement, for collection by our good friends working for the City of London, Epping Forest.Another successful session.

 (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)

One of our regular ‘second Tuesday of the month’ litterpicking sessions, and with six keen volunteers we were able to make a huge impact on the amount of litter that still gets chucked away in the cruising area.

We worked alone, we worked in pairs, and we worked in groups.

And made good progress along the usual routes, collecting litter on the way, emptying rubbish sacks in the hot spots and clearing up the sexual debris that some guys still throw away.

It’s difficult to understand why, when there’s a rubbish sack so close, why some guys still chose to throw stuff on the ground. Maybe they are into dirty sex?!

It’s interesting what we find in the areas where guys have sex. Maybe someone likes sauce on their sausage?!

And it looks like someone is arriving having just got a prescription for their condoms, or at least bought them at a pharmacy. (Do people still do that?!)

Another area which would be much better if it wasn’t strewn with litter and sexual debris.

Our task is to clear up the litter and that’s what we do – whether or not we agree with throwing it away rather than being considerate and putting it in a rubbish sack or bin.

Having spent plenty long enough picking up litter it was time to head back to base and grab some refreshments.

Then off for more and another session where our groups ranged far and wide.

And then back to staple bags closed and take them to the road to be picked up. Another stunning amount of litter collected – 36 bags!

However, the fun wasn’t over! We’d noticed a smouldering fire deep in the woods and it had got such a grip on the surrounding soil that our efforts to stop the smouldering spreading were to no avail.

Only one thing for it – call the Fire Brigade. They didn’t take long to arrive and the eye candy was certainly worth waiting for! However, despite the hopes we had they didn’t get out their big red hoses.

Not only a very productive litterpicking session, but something of a happy ending!!

 (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)