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Caradon: Community clean up for River Seaton

People living in and around Seaton in South East Cornwall are being asked to join in a community clean up of the local river on Saturday 2 October through a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Project Aware initiative.
Organised by Caradon District Council and the Whitsand Bay Divers Club, the event aims to build understanding of the importance of Cornish rivers, get local people involved in practical conservation and provide the opportunity for a healthy day out in the countryside.

Tamsyn Butler, Caradon’s countryside officer, said: “We want to help people realise that looking after the local environment doesn’t stop where the land ends. Rivers are vitally important to wildlife as well as providing natural beauty for human visitors to enjoy.

“We’ll be working with the Whitsand Bay Divers Club and volunteers to reduce the size of some of the debris dams which have built up in the River Seaton over the years. Many are now so severe that they are starting to cause major erosion problems and damaging river habitats for native species like otters and brown trout.�

The event is supported by the Environment Agency, Liskeard and District Angling Club and the Westcountry Rivers Trust. The clean up takes place during National Rural Health Week (27 September to 3 October) and provides an opportunity for local people to improve their own health by participating in practical conservation work in the countryside while also improving the health of one of the district’s many river systems.

The clean up runs from 10.00am to 4.00pm and includes a free pasty lunch. People are invited to join in for as long as they can, but booking is essential. The day is aimed at anyone aged 7 and over, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at 10.00am at the bridge at the end of the main path from Seaton that leads to the boardwalked section or the Otter Walk.

For further information or to book a place, contact Tamsyn Butler on 01503 263286.