In July, Oceandiva London volunteered with Thames 21 to assist in cleaning up the Capital’s river system. Thames 21, in collaboration with the Port of London authority, annually extracts 200 tonnes of debris from the river, a significant portion of which comprises plastic waste. In response to this challenge, a group consisting of 14 members of our Green Smarties committee paid a visit to the Leaside Trust to participate in the Canoe Litter Picking initiative, which aligns with two of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, and Goal 13 – Climate Action. Choosing this scheme seemed like a natural involvement for us, as it is crucial for us to preserve the condition of our venue’s surroundings and minimise our environmental impact.

Equipped with bin bags and graptors, the day commenced with a comprehensive dryland demonstration by the Leaside Trust, followed by a briefing from Thames 21. The team was subsequently divided into two groups: one focused on clearing refuse from the canal, while the other tackled the removal of floating pennywort, an invasive plant that poses a threat to the ecosystem.

At Oceandiva London, we firmly believe that adopting environmentally responsible practices is synonymous with good economic practice and we are committed to creating positive impacts within our local communities. Besides prioritising reducing our ecological footprint in our daily operations, we are keen to actively seek out opportunities like this to amplify our influence and bring about meaningful change. We thoroughly enjoyed our day at the Leaside Trust with Thames 21, and look forward to getting involved with similar initiatives soon!