Volunteers get Ed McKeever Fever

Last Friday, Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 volunteers took to the water in a canoe clean-up of the Lea Navigation at Bow Lock.

The volunteers were joined by Ed McKeever, Olympic Gold medallist in the 200m Kayak Sprint in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Out on the water, Ed helped volunteers remove floating litter that had been accumulating in the reedbeds that cannot be reached from the towpath.

Volunteers were given the opportunity to speak to Ed and ask questions about his Olympic success, future plans and his thoughts on Thames21 and the Big Waterways Clean-Up 2012.

When asked about his future Olympic aspirations Ed said: ‘It’s given people so much pleasure seeing a gold medal, it would be a shame not to go for it again‘.

Ed was joined by an entourage of media who filmed and photographed the event, and was interviewed by Piers Hopkirk of ITV’s London Tonight programme. Some lucky volunteers were also interviewed for the programme and featured on Friday’s 6pm news.

Volunteers hauled out lots of plastic bottles, bags, cans, crisp packets and a few coconuts that frequently enter our waterways.

Ed said that this had definitely been one of the strangest things he has ever had to do in a canoe.

For more details of future BWCU2012 events, click here.