The Big Count is Back – 2016
LONDONERS INVITED TO HELP UNCOVER THE HEALTH OF THE THAMES
London – 10 March 2016: The Big Count is back and it’s bigger and better than ever
before as Thames21, a waterways charity keen on putting healthy rivers at the heart of community life, tries to discover more about the health of the Thames.
By undertaking a series litter monitoring surveys with the support of volunteers, at two key locations on March 12 and March 19 (now cancelled), the Big Count is working towards building a clearer understanding of the state of the Thames thanks to the community’s input. The Big Count is an initiative as part of Thames21’s Thames River Watch Programme.
Alice Hall, Thames River Watch Coordinator at Thames21 said: “We are building a picture of the river’s health through the Big Count which is really important to answer some of the most basic questions like “where is the litter coming from?” and “is the problem getting better or worse?” This information will also be invaluable in informing future campaigns and policies to improve the health of the river.”
Each March and September the campaign will monitor the foreshore at Hammersmith and the Isle of Dogs which are two of the worst litter hotspot areas in London. The monitoring will also take place at similar stages of the tide to provide data that is comparable year-on-year. The results from the Big Count will be shared with the public biannually and shortly after each monitoring survey.
AJ McConville, Thames River Watch Coordinator at Thames21 said: “The Big Count is our flagship campaign to get people out onto the Thames collecting data on the health of the river. We really need and value Londoners’ support in helping this data come alive by collecting vital information at these Big Count events because it’s important to identify the type of litter causing widespread concern and damage to the health of our rivers and ultimately our oceans.”
Get Involved with the Big Count 2016
Attend a Big Count:
March 12: Isle of Dogs, 9am-11.30am. Meet at Saunders Ness Road by the Great Eastern pub, Isle of Dogs, E14 3BW
***CANCELLED*** March 19: Hammersmith, 2pm-4.30pm.Meet at Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, W6 9BX
* All equipment provided. No training necessary, just turn up and we’ll show you what to do!
Become a guardian of the Thames:
Join a Thames River Watch Training and become a guardian of the river by committing to monitoring on a monthly basis specifically for the Big Count.
For more information about Thames River Watch and the Big Count, get in touch with
Alice Hall – alice.hall@thames21.org.uk – 07754 402 772
AJ McConville – aj.mcconville@thames21.org.uk – 07585 302 623