51Âþ»­

We’d love your help with the Big River Clean-up in Leicester on Wednesday 29 November, from 10am-1pm. Lending a hand at this event will help stop plastic pollution from harming wildlife in our rivers and canals.

During the clean-up, 51Âþ»­ student and staff volunteers will be picking up plastic and rubbish from boats on the River Soar and Grand Union Canal, or along the banks and surrounding areas to stop it even getting into the waterways.

More than 14 million pieces of plastic get into the UK’s rivers and canals every year. By keeping it out of our waterways, we can help stop plastic from flowing into oceans each year. More than 80 per cent of the plastic polluting our seas, oceans and beaches comes from being discarded on land.

The clean-up is part of the Canal and River Trust’s nationwide . It will also mark the official launch of 51Âþ»­’s COP 28 activities supporting sustainability, which include a pavilion at the climate talks in Dubai, events on campus in Leicester and at 51Âþ»­ Dubai.

We will provide transport to the clean-up and a certificate of appreciation for all who take part. A pizza lunch will be offered after the event back at 51Âþ»­.

To tell us you are able to come, please email engage@dmu.ac.uk with 'Big River Clean-Up' in the subject line by Friday 24 November if possible. We hope you will join us to work together and protect our rivers and wildlife.