Capital Clean-up, Elmbridge Meadows, Berrylands, Sunday April 14th, 2013

With the spring sun shining on us at last, it was the perfect day to be by the Hogsmill River in Berrylands, even if we were there to clean up someone else's rubbish. This event was part of the Lord Mayor's Capital Clean-up 2013, and our task was to remove several years'-worth of rubbish thrown over a back fence of a house in Surbiton Hill Park. With council services stretched more than ever, this was just the job for the Kingston Greenspace Volunteers. The team laboured for about four hours to clear away, three bed frames, a sofa, two bicycles, a large pile of roofing felt, a door, and 18 bags of miscellaneous rubbish, including several bags of rubbish cleared from the banks of the Hogsmill. (According to our partners at Quadron Services, we shifted a whopping 700 kg of rubbish!)
We had intended to remove invasive Himalayan balsam plants, but we had more than enough work to keep us busy, plus the recent cool weather means that the plants are still on the small side. However, we will be back soon to do battle with the balsam. There's also more work to be done to convince some residents with gardens bordering Elmbridge Meadows, that it's not acceptable to simply throw rubbish and garden waste over the back fence, particularly as the council tip at Villiers Road, Kingston is less than 2 miles away and is open seven days a week.
Despite the annoyance at clearing up someone else's mess, this was tempered by the discovery of some fascinating wildlife, including four slow worms and two frogs. Plus, the river banks were full of people and their dogs enjoying the sunshine on the warmest day of the year so far. It was also evident that the wildlife was enjoying the warm weather with chiff chaffs merrily chiff chaffing, bumble bees busily buzzing, a black two-spot ladybird beetling, and even a peacock butterfly seen flitting about. If you're still in doubt, it's official - spring has finally arrived!

 This was the task.

Here's Kingston's Capital Clean-up team. 

 Here's the afternoon shift.

This litter-lout had a taste for vodka and Polish pickle.

Our team could be described as 'Transformers'  - More than meets the eye.

The trailer full to overflowing.

There was no room in the trailer or hours left in the day to remove all the dumped rubble. 

The frogs were a hoppin'.

Slow worms were moving at their own pace. 

This one's a female.

With rubbish cleared away, lesser celandine is revealed in all its glory.

Some residents still don't get it - dumping waste is illegal!