SEP continues its commitment to the Park’s environment. Accordingly, it supports the WATAR (Wear and Tees Action for Rivers) project.
WATAR
SEP is proud of its involvement in a new project WATAR (Wear and Tees Action for Rivers). WATAR is the initiative of Sharon Lashley, Managing Director of Climate Action North East . Climate Action North East is one of our Partner Organisations. We work with them on the Pollinator Park Project. You can read more about that project here.
Sharon was appalled at the state of the River Wear. Consequently, she put a message out on social media, in that hope that she would get some help. Jed Richardson from Swiftwater Solutions Ltd answered the call! Together, they came up with the WATAR project to enable regular clean-up activities. Firstly, they will begin on the River Wear in Sunderland. Ultimately, they have plans to extend this to other rivers across the region, including the River Tees.
Sharon said: “As well as actively cleaning up these areas, this initiative is very much aimed at mobilising corporate volunteers to help and there are a number of ways businesses can support these activities”.
SEP’s Involvement
‘SEP is always striving to keep the environment on the Park as pleasant and welcoming as possible for everyone who works or visits here and to make sure the environment is as nature friendly as possible.’ explains Company Manager Angela Rayne.
‘We are excited, therefore, to be involved with this project which will include clean ups on the water, on the mudflats and on the rock armour to help stop the litter arriving on the riverbank and eventually on to other areas of the park’.
Angela recently met with Sharon and Jed and also Nigel S Jones of Arktek Group Limited another key sponsor of WATAR. Their pupose was to carry out a socially distanced litter pick on the river bank at Timber Beach. ‘In just under 2 hours and 18 bags later the area was looking much better and more importantly we stopped the waste from going back into the river and out into the sea.’ said Angela.
These smiling volunteers are in the photograph at the top of this article. They are from left to right – Nigel, Angela, Sharon and Jed.
Before and After Photos
Our volunteers took a photo of the rubbish strewn area of the riverside when they arrived. They took another photo to show the result of the clean up.
They filled 18 bags of rubbish!
Oh, and by the way…rock armour???
Rock armour is a cheaper solution than a seawall to protect coastlines and riverbanks from erosion. It works by dissipating the effect of wave energy. It consists of a wall of stone boulders. However, litter gets caught up in the rocks and can then work its way further inland.
In this case, the photograph below shows a mattress washed up on the rock armour along the river bank on the Enterprise Park.
But after the clean up our rock armour is beautiful once again and nature can thrive once more!
Finally, the project has exciting plans for 2021 and we shall keep you posted. If you wish to get involved Sharon would be pleased to hear from you. The websites of Climate Action North East and of the other sponsors are listed below.
Climate Action North
www.climateactionnortheast.org.uk
Swiftwater Solutions Ltd
Arktek Group Limited