THE RIVER is running clearer in Sonning, thanks to a team of hard-working residents.
On Sunday, October 17, more than 30 people took to the waters to clean the River Thames — and pulled out three boat-loads of rubbish.
The eco-friendly event was organised by Hannah Hyland, founder of Greener Health Physiotherapy, and was visited by Maidenhead MP Theresa May, whose constituency includes the village.
“[Mrs] May came down in the rain and supported some school pupils taking part, so good on her,” Ms Hyland said. “It was a real collaboration of the local community.”
She said people arrived throughout the day to collect rubbish, which was pulled from the river’s banks and the water.
The event was organised in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage, Thames Rescue Services, Sonning C of E Primary School, Sonning Parish Council, Thames Valley Rotary Club and The Village Hamper.
“We had people from Maidenhead, Twyford, Reading, Newtown and further afield,” Ms Hyland said. “People had a great day and we had great feedback, with a whole range of ages on board.
“From three-years-old to 80-years-old, the whole community took part.”
The organiser, who recently launched her physiotherapy firm in Sonning, said she was inspired to help arrange a river clean after learning about the status of the River Thames.
“It was declared biologically dead 50 years ago,” Ms Hyland explained, “and it fails to meet chemical standards.
“We were pulling out a lot of physical pollution, including crisp packets and plastic bottles, but pollution comes from a lot of different things.
“The idea was to get the entire community on board and raise awareness of the problem of pollution, to get people thinking about how they use plastic.”
She said residents also unearthed chairs, blow up mattresses and a shopping trolley – and found the amount of pollution “devastating”.
“It’s heartbreaking for our future generation, but it’s also bittersweet,” she added. “We’ve managed to collect all the rubbish, but it was really hard and we barely made a dent.
“The more you collect, the more it draws your awareness to it.”
Ms Hyland hopes Sunday’s event will inspire the older generations to keep litter-picking and change their habits.
“My daughter is five-years-old and I fear for her generation,” she said. “But they’re on it. My daughter will pick up litter on the way to school and a lot of others do too.
“It’s like there’s been a change in the kids and they’re already aware we need to do more, and it’s us adults who are stuck in an old frame of mind and need to change.”
And she said the group plans to make river cleans a seasonal event in Berkshire and beyond.
“We want to go both ways down the River Thames now,” Ms Hyland continued. “With the turnout being so good and everyone being so keen, we want to travel towards Henley and Marlow and beyond Reading.
“Healthy water is vital for our health and all of this rubbish in the water is going to affect us.”
