Top tips for completing a cleanup on your SUP!
In 2024, 3,699 amazing volunteers collected 1,888 sacks of plastic waste and other junk from our precious waterways.
How to get involved
Clearing your local canal or river of junk can be hugely beneficial, and not just for the environment. Participating in a Paddle Cleanup can also be great for your mental well-being. Here are a few tips to help you organise your own paddle cleanup with family, friends or colleagues.
Gather friends or family and make a plan
Firstly, consider where you want to do it and any barriers you may face. Do you need a river licence for that stretch of river, for example? Consider whether cleaning your chosen waterway is safe. Completing a risk assessment is key to ensuring you prepare for all risks.
Remember, not everyone needs to be on the water, people can clean up the banks from paths and walkways next to the water.
Think about equipment
Setting off with all the kit you’ll need is essential. Here is a quick checklist of our must-haves:
- Gloves
- Bags/buckets/baskets
- Hand sanitisers
- Litter pickers
- First Aid kit
- Sharps box
Tips for completing a cleanup on your SUP
It might be easier to kneel on your board rather than stand. You need stability when grabbing litter from the water surface or the bank.
To gather your rubbish, a plastic washing basket is ideal for attaching to a SUP using a bungee cord. The basket’s holes are great for drainage, but you don’t want them too big as your collected rubbish could end up back in the river!
Builder’s bucket tubs could also work, but they won’t sit as securely on your board as a basket. Always wear a good pair of gloves to protect your hands when handling rubbish, especially when you’re reaching into thorny bushes.
It’s important on a SUP to know your limits
There’s always the temptation to go for something big in the water, but you shouldn’t stretch yourself physically. There’s also the risk of capsizing and spilling the rubbish you’ve worked hard to collect. Collecting litter can be so immersive, as you’re doing so much good, and you soon lose track of time.
Wear sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Keep your bottle clean and dry; you don’t want to ingest anything that could make you ill.
Ensure your SUP has plenty of buoyancy, and of course, always wear a personal floatation device (PFD). Ensure you have your phone with you, too – just in case!
Promote your cleanup
Social media is a great tool for promoting a cleanup. You can reach new people outside your usual group, making the event even bigger. Make sure to tag Paddle UK and use #BigPaddleCleanUp on your posts.
Please tell your local MP and newspapers
Make sure your local MP knows. Invite them along to help out. If they accept, make sure you reach out and let us know! Write to them after the cleanup, telling them the difference you’ve made and how much rubbish you have taken away. It is important they know about the great work going on.
You can also contact local news outlets, such as local newspapers, radio stations, and Regional TV. They love good news stories about people doing great things. We aren’t saying they will definitely get back to you or report on your cleanup, but who knows?
Tell us about your cleanup
Once you’ve disposed of the rubbish properly, cleaned your kit and hands, and had a well-earned drink, let us know what you found! We love to know how many bags of rubbish people clear from our waterways.
Upload your Paddle Cleanup to our map here: https://paddleuk.org.uk/paddle-cleanups-map-and-upload/
We try to share as many stories as we can. So why not send us a quick write-up along with some photos to mediaenquiries@paddleuk.org.uk?
We collate all the information you send us to support cleaning up our waterways, including the shocking statistics about what people find in cleanups each year.
Good luck! We hope this year’s Big Paddle Cleanup is the biggest yet.
SUP Mag UK 
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