Upper Rissington Walks
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The Joy of Being Useful… & Fit!
By Gray Elkington, 26 January 2024
Since 2021, Upper Rissington has been following the #PristineParish Program, aiming to de-litter the entirety of the parish twice a week and incidentally show other parishes what’s possible. Indeed, we think beyond our own parish to the rivers and seas and regard ourselves as ‘pikkers’ named after a mythical figure who protects the rivers, and accordingly our aim is to prevent litter from being washed into the waterways.
How have we been doing?
Well, with the help over the years of 35 pikkers, including a couple of Duke of Edinburgh Award youngsters, most litter has been binned on average within two days. This places Upper Rissington within the vanguard of UK parishes for protecting the ecosystem. Many if not most parishes only have one annual litter pick.
Above all, it adds to our sense of wellbeing and allows us to look straight in the eye those Year 5/6 children who first called time on litter in Upper Rissington back in 2020. In fact, so effective is our parish-keeping regime that it may seem, especially to newcomers, that littering is not a problem. A glance at our photos below will thus prove salutary.
People’s lives change and volunteers come and go
At the moment four of the 22 weekly ‘piks’ are not being covered, which is where you come in. I’d like to invite you to ‘pik’ a Walk on your own on Tuesday or Saturday each week, give or take a day, for so long as you are able to do it. This means you have 3-day window within which to do the ‘pik’ at whatever time of day you choose. A free hi-vis vest and grabber are provided of course and any litter you find can be placed in your own bins. It’s a system designed for the busy volunteer: it flexes to your schedule, it’s simple… and, personally speaking, it ensures I get some exercise! Walks vary in length from 30 to 80 minutes to cater for different exercise or dog-walking regimes. A Walk can be covered at leisure or at speed. So, think of it as exercise combined with community service.
Occasionally we can’t do a ‘pik’ and it goes undone
That’s life. But there’s a UR #PristineParish WhatsApp Group who may be able to provide cover when we’re away or indisposed - and who provide like-minded company at all times!
The four Walks that need a pikker are:
1. De Havilland - Tuesdays, give or take a day
2. Hawker - Tuesdays, give or take a day
3. Sandy - Tuesdays, give or take a day
4. Wright - Tuesdays or Saturdays, give or take a day
Upper Rissington would love you to join us!
Like to join us?
Your mission will be to de-litter a Walk on your own once a week, at a time within a 3-day window that suits you to allow for weather and other contingencies.
The 3-day windows are centred on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
THE TUESDAY PIK CAN BE DONE ON MON, TUE OR WED; THE SATURDAY PIK ON FRI, SAT OR SUN.
Free top-of-the-range grabber and hi-vis vest provided.
Saturday 18 May 2024
Tuesday 14 May 2024
Saturday 11 May 2024
Tuesday 7 May 2024
Saturday 4 May 2024
Tuesday 30 April 2024
Saturday 27 April 2024
Tuesday 23 April 2024
Saturday 20 April 2024
Tuesday 16 April 2024
Saturday 13 April 2024
Tuesday 9 April 2024
Saturday 6 April 2024
Tuesday 2 April 2024
Saturday 30 March 2024
Litterblitz on A424
Tuesday 26 March 2024
Saturday 23 March 2024
Tuesday 19 March 2024
Saturday 16 March 2024
Litterblitz on A424
Tuesday 12 March 2024
Saturday 9 March 2024
Litterblitz on Wyck Beacon
Tuesday 5 March 2024
Saturday 2 March 2024
Tuesday 27 February 2024
Saturday 24 Feb 2024
Litterblitz along Wyck Beacon
Tuesday 20 February 2024
Saturday 17 February 2024
Tuesday 13 February 2024
Saturday 10 February 2024
Litterblitz on Wyck Beacon
Tuesday 6 February 2024
Saturday 3 February 2024
litterblitz along Wyck Beacon
Tuesday 30 January 2024
Saturday 27 January 2024
Litterblitz on the A424 (Fulbrook)
Tuesday 23 January 2024
Saturday 20 January 2024
litterblitz on the a424
Tuesday 16 January 2024
Saturday 12 January 2024
Litterblitz on A424
Tuesday 9 January 2024
Saturday 6 January 2024
Tuesday 2 January 2024
