Who Keeps The River Stort Clean? With Simon Baker
Show notes
This episode is brought to you by:
StortAI:
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StortBox:
https://stortbox.co.uk/
Bishop's Stortford Community Newsletter:
https://bishops-stortford-community-newsletter.beehiiv.com/
Simon Baker is a local musician, community organiser and the person behind Save Our Stort, a monthly volunteer effort cleaning the River Stort and its towpath through Bishop’s Stortford.
After moving onto a boat and seeing how much rubbish was hidden beneath the riverbanks, Simon contacted the Canal and River Trust and decided to organise a local clean-up himself. A small core group now meets every month to remove bottles, cans, shopping trolleys and other waste from the river and surrounding towpath.
In this episode, Simon explains why Bishop’s Stortford is a particularly important place to catch rubbish before it travels further down the navigation, the risks abandoned trolleys create for boats, and why Save Our Stort urgently needs more volunteers, especially people with canoes, kayaks, dinghies or paddleboards.
Links
Save Our Stort: https://www.facebook.com/groups/saveourstort
Email: simon@unclefunk.co.uk
Volunteer
Third Sunday of every month
11:30am
Meet on the towpath near the Rose and Crown pub and the Station Road bridge.
Volunteers with canoes, kayaks, dinghies or paddleboards are particularly needed to help clear rubbish from the river.
Stortford Spotlight
Billboard in Jackson Square
“Stop throwing litter.”
Simon chose this as a direct message to anyone dropping rubbish around the town or into the River Stort.
Secret Spot
Bluebell Woods and the nature reserve
Simon chose the nature reserve and Bluebell Woods as peaceful local places that he hopes never become overcrowded.
Local Legends
Bishbash - https://bishbash.uk/
Simon highlighted Twig and the Bishbash team for bringing the Stortford Music Festival back and encouraged the town to support it.
HooDoo Radio - https://hoodooradio.co.uk/
Simon also gave a shout out to Dan and Faye at HooDoo Radio for creating a fun, grassroots local radio station.
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