Keep Caversham Tidy

30/05/2026

On the last day of summer, a terrifying ten tackled tedious litter strewn across Managua Close, Ian Mikardo Way, Nire Road and the Amersham Rd rec area, collecting about ten small & ten big bags (if in doubt, ten) of rubbish plus 8 Nitrous Oxide canisters (ten??). Thanks to Gabi for leading and working hard to drag our ailing 3-wheel trolley with all the kit along. Great work from our The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award plus bog standard volunteers! Fly tipping was reported on the handy Love Clean Streets app. Next week is still to be confirmed but keep up to date from our page or website: https://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~sgs02rpa/KCT/

24/05/2026

Our trusty trolley, the workhorse of our Keep Caversham Tidy litter picking operations, is poorly! Any ideas for a cure or volunteer to help fix this would be much appreciated, as would any contribution to save up for a new one!
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/keepcavershamtidy

23/05/2026

A fandabidozi fourteen (actually a less-alliterative 17!) floundered in the strengthening May bank holiday heat to clear View Island, finishing off with a flourish in Hill’s Meadow. We collected 8 large and 18 small bags plus a very large suitcase and a very small cheetah, & only a couple of Nitrous Oxide canisters. Rough sleeping was reported to St Mungo’s via the Love Clean Streets app. Thanks to all our volunteers, including our The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award support and to our indefatigable pick leader Graham Bates.

Next week we see off littering around Managua Close in the Amersham Rd area. To join us sign up on the Facebook event or send us an email by 4pm Friday so we can bring enough equipment. We meet 10am on Saturday, see details on our Keep Caversham Tidy page or at: https://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~sgs02rpa/KCT/

16/05/2026

Please support the The Weller Centre with the petition regarding the Nitrous Oxide canister epidemic 🙏

Protect Young People in Reading: Introduce Age Restrictions on Nitrous Oxide Canister Sale

09/05/2026

A crack team of ten and a half (Editor: note the half did his fair share including photographic duties!) clandestine litter pickers tackled the copse on Rotherfield Way and surrounding areas, collecting 11 small bags, 5 large bags, a traffic cone, a clothes airer plus many random chunky detritus but not a nitrous cannister to be seen. It was good to find it relatively clean (and even dry!) so we widened our net to capture an unhealthy haul for Reading Council to collect. Thanks to Andy for leading! You get a break next week as the trustees meet to talk total rubbish. But look out for details of upcoming picks on our Keep Caversham Tidy events page and sign up as “Going” or email us by Friday 4pm so we can bring enough equipment!
https://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~sgs02rpa/KCT

02/05/2026

A fearsome fourteen faffed about Amersham Rd & its offshoots plus the rec, collecting 12 large and 6 small bags of b***y plus a couple of bikes, a crutch and random detritus. Fly tipping and overflowing unsavoury bins were reported on the Love Clean Streets app and 6 Nitrous Oxide canisters were recovered. Thanks to Gabi for leading and to our The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award volunteers!

It was a glorious day to delve into the undergrowth and engage our unAI pattern matching algorithms to exercise brain and body while keeping Caversham approximately tidy. Next week we hit the copse on Rotherfield Way which always ignites fierce arguments over its precise name (Soggy Bottom is perhaps most accurate) so look out for details on our Keep Caversham Tidy events page (as we catch up with our backlog) and sign up as “Going” or email us by Friday 4pm so we can bring enough equipment an arrange bunting and a welcoming committee!
https://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~sgs02rpa/KCT

27/04/2026

Just conducted a water test at Mill Green on behalf of KCT.
https://earthwatch.org.uk/greatukwaterblitz/

Results:

Nitrates: 5-10 (mg/L)
Phosphates: