TARS - giving something back

I visited the Dogs Home on Sunday morning (taking some string to restore the knot on the door), and walked along the lakeshore from Machell Coppice car park. I was appalled at the amount of litter especially glass bottles that there were. Then this morning I was talking to someone who volunteers for the Lake District National Park Authority, and he told me that the number of volunteer litter picking days has fallen off. 

This brought back to my mind an idea from a couple of years ago, of volunteer working parties drawn from TARS, inspired perhaps by the idea of giving something back to the lake District for all the enjoyment that we've received from it. I did talk to Tim Duckmanton who is the LDNPA volunteer co-ordinator, but I never progressed it.

I understand there used to be an arrangement with the National Trust for them to dispose of any litter we retrieved from WCI, by taking it to their regional office at Boon Crag,  however when I went to WCI last Wednesday there wasn't a lot of litter there, whereas the lakeshore was dreadful.

So I'm floating this idea on the Forums, to see what response there might be. One of the issues is whether we would be covered by our insurance, but I suppose if we were doing this for the LDNPA or NT then their's would. If there is a generally positive response, I'm happy to talk to Tim again and maybe set a date for people to gather at say Machell Coppice initially. Who knows, if it took off we could in future years even identify accommodation for people who wanted it to make it a longer event, but initially if there were event three or four of us it would be good. 

Rob

This sounds like a worthwhile idea, Rob: it certainly sounds Ransome-like to me.

'We always bury peel,' said Peter

'Rule of the Coot Club,' said Tom.

'Well,' said the fisherman,' it's a pretty good rule...'

Of course, the Coot Club were doing it down in Norfolk, but I think there were examples of the Swallows, Amazons and D's looking after the environment in the Lakes books - I just can't think of the specific incidents at the moment!

And presumably disposal of litter wouldn't be so difficult these days, given the number of public recyling and disposal sites around?

I could imagine it becoming a regular and enjoyable activity, and people might well make a sociable weekend of it.  

Good idea, Rob.  I'd love to join in, though a bit far for me to come unless given plenty of advance warning of the date.