Minister for London volunteers to help Thames clean up its act

For the third year running, Minister for London Jim Fitzpatrick and volunteers from the Government Office for London and Communities and Local Government will team up with environmental charity Thames21 to clear litter from the River Thames on Monday June 4.

The team will be clearing river rubbish from a stretch of foreshore near to Vauxhall Bridge. Items include plastic bags, clothes, old metal works, bikes and tyres.

Chris Coode, Thames21's River Programme Manager said:

'On average, Thames21 and its volunteers remove 1,000 tonnes of litter every year from London's waterways - the equivalent to approximately 84 containers of litter, which, if stacked on top of each other, would reach the 45th floor of Canary Wharf. Volunteers from all sections of the community enable us to carry out this practical and vital work benefiting the environment, wildlife and everyone who lives, works or visits the Thames.'

Jim Fitzpatrick, Minister for London said:

'We are delighted to join forces with Thames21 once again. Getting out there, seeing the problem and being part of the solution has been an education. Taking part in a clean up helps to reduce levels of litter and encourages us all to put much more thought into how and where we discard the rubbish we generate.'

The Minister has also headed up Thames21's Cleaner Waterways Challenge which aims to get at least one MP from every London borough volunteering at a clean up event. Launched in September 2006, the challenge has been taken up by five MPs to date.

MITIE's Environmental Operations Manager Andy Barnes stated:

'This will be the third consecutive year for this tremendously successful event. It has given staff the opportunity to get involved in sustainability on a practical level, making a positive contribution both to London's community and environment and helping to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability locally, as well as globally. It is hoped that the combined effort of all volunteers will be enough to reach at least 10 tonne of debris collected from the Thames foreshore.

This event will take place during London Sustainability Weeks, which starts on World Environment Day on 3 June incorporating World Environment Day on 5 June and runs for a fortnight. It's the capital's biggest celebration of community action for a cleaner, greener and healthier London. More than 300 events are being held, which will show how we can each make a difference to London's future.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• For press enquiries contact: Leigh McAlea at Thames21 on 07875 250 284.
• For interviews with Jim Fitzpatrick, Minister for London, please contact Tara Barker on 07717 442315. (Minister's Itinerary below).
• Jim Fitzpatrick, Minister for London will be arriving at Westminster Boating Base, 136 Grosvenor Rd, at 10.30 and will be met by Chris Coode from Thames 21 and steered onto the foreshore via boat. He will then join volunteers to clean up the shore of the river Thames.
• Thames21 is an environmental charity working with communities to bring London's waterways to life. In 2006, the charity delivered 96 clean ups, worked with 4,024 volunteers and removed approximately 1,000 tonnes of litter. Visit the website at: www.thames21.org.uk
• The Cleaner Waterways Challenge was launched in September 2006 and aims to get at least one MP from every London borough to volunteer at a Thames21 river or canal clean up event. MPs who have taken part to date are: John Austin MP for Bexley, Mark Fields MP for Cities of Westminster, Jim Fitzpatrick, MP for Tower Hamlets; Fiona MacTaggart, MP for Slough; Nick Raynsford, MP for Greenwich.
  
• Government Office for London The Government Office for London's mission is to make London a better place by making sure national policies are effectively delivered. We represent central Government in London, working with a wide variety of partners to deliver policies and programmes, and we also represent London's interests within the Government. The Government Office for London delivers policies and programmes in the London region on behalf of nine central Government Departments. GOL manages over 40 programmes for Whitehall Departments. It has a programme budget of £3 billion for 2004/05, of which the majority, over £2.5 billion, is grant given to the Greater London Authority and its functional bodies, Transport for London and the London Development Agency.

" The Department for Communities and Local Government : CLG's vision is of prosperous and cohesive communities, offering a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for all. The Department was created on 5 May 2006, under the leadership of Ruth Kelly. It takes a strategic lead across Government on: equal opportunities and social justice; better homes and neighbourhoods; strong and accountable local government and leadership; better local services and environment; regeneration and investment in our towns, cities and regions; and safe, tolerant and inclusive communities.

" MITIE is one of the UK's leading support services companies, delivering facilities, engineering and property services to public and private sector clients. It is also one of the UK's largest employers with over 45,000 people supporting customers every day. MITIEs success in delivering sustainable growth, through responsible and proactive engagement with stakeholders, has enabled the Group to become a FTSE 250 company, achieving annual revenues of over £1.2bn.

For media enquiries contact Leigh McAlea by email or 020 7213 0166