A river clean up in St Ives has been organised for Wednesday morning on 22 August 2007 in time for the Inland Waterways Festival taking place on 25 to 27 August.

Organised by Huntingdonshire District Council, RiverCare Project, the Environment Agency, the Great Ouse Boating Association and the organisers of the Inland Waterways Festival, it will bring many organisations together to improve a stretch of the River Ouse which runs through St Ives.

RiverCare representatives have identified main areas where litter gathers and would benefit from a clean up.  Huntingdonshire District Council’s Countryside Services and the Street Rangers are working together to lead this event.  A team of volunteers will work along the banks of the river, collecting litter that has got trapped in the vegetation.  Boats and crew provided by the Environment Agency and the Great Ouse Boating Association will tackle larger items dumped in the river, with volunteers collecting refuse along the edges.    
 
”It is a positive step that many organisations are working together to improve the river corridor in preparation for the Inland Waterways Festival which is taking place over the August bank holiday.  The river is such an important feature in many of our towns and villages and is very important for our wildlife” said Kirsty Drew, Countryside Services Ranger for Huntingdonshire District Council.

The Inland Waterways Festival 2007, a National Festival & Boat Show is taking place over the August Bank Holiday weekend at Hemingford Meadows, opposite St Ives on the River Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire.

The Festival will not only be a great day out for boaters but also promises to be fantastic entertainment for all the family.  An exciting programme of events provides something for everyone, featuring trade and craft stalls, Wild over Waterways activities for the children, an extensive selection of catering outlets and live music. For more information on the festival visit the website using the link on the right.