Regional projects

Our regional projects encourage and help communities to take pride in their local stretch of river or beach, protecting and enhancing it for future generations.

Just like us, our groups are about so much more than just picking up litter. They remove non-native species, survey plants and animals, restore habitats and unite communities around their local waterways.

It just takes a bit of teamwork to create an environment we’re all proud to enjoy. If you are interested, see if there is a project running in your area.

RiverCare and BeachCare in East Anglia

The RiverCare and BeachCare programme supports a network of amazing volunteer groups who work to enhance their local waterways and coastal environments. Located within East Anglia, this long term programme is managed by us and funded by Anglian Water.

Rivers and beaches are vital habitats for wildlife and inspiring places to be enjoyed. Our volunteer groups clear litter, carry out ‘citizen science surveys’, campaign locally and help manage the habitat. This can include removing invasive species and surveying for otter and water vole.

Our network is constantly growing, currently including 800 volunteers across 40 groups, supported by our team of project officers.

To contact the programme, please email rivercare@keepbritaintidy.org or connect with the RiverCare team directly via social media:

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Pennywort Alert project - Anglian region

Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) has spread rapidly into UK waterways since it was introduced into this country from America in the 1980s as an ornamental garden pond plant - and it can grow at astonishing rates of up to 20cm a day in late summer. We need to do all we can to halt its spread - but to do that we need the public to be on the lookout.

That's why Keep Britain Tidy's RiverCare&BeachCare team and volunteer groups are currently working in partnership with the Environment Agency and Anglian Water on the Pennywort Alert project, which aims to tackle - and raise awareness of - the damaging invasive species on local waterways.

Please read more on our dedicated webpage here.

BeachCare in the South West

Supported by South West Water and Sharps Brewery, BeachCare South West has completed almost 1000 beach cleans cleans across Devon and Cornwall.

The strength of the project are the groups that we work with. Some BeachCare groups have been beach cleaning every single month for seven years and we offer them guidance, equipment and support.

Groups are set-up to be self-sustaining and additional support is given for local anti-littering campaigns.

BeachCare groups across the South West have removed over 137 tonnes of litter and we are now embarking on a marine litter recycling project to ensure some of this waste can be used again.