This spring and summer, 75 volunteers from six BID member businesses took to the Grand Union Canal in 11 electric-powered boats to help remove litter and tackle plastic pollution.

The crews took part in the eco-friendly activity with the help of our community partner GoBoat Paddington, who ensure everything is shipshape before setting sail.

Rising water temperatures cause sunken, winter-accumulated debris to float to the surface during the spring and summer months. This, together with the warmer weather bringing higher pedestrian footfall along the towpaths, can make the litter picks at this time of year even more important.

Our new canal clean-up season started on 28 April 2026 with volunteers from Marriott Hotel Marble Arch and Bunzl taking to the water.

On 12 May, two crews from Bridgepoint took over the tiller to continue the litter picks.

Throughout June, we welcomed additional volunteer teams from Hilton London Metropole, Marriott Hotel Park Lane and Montcalm Collection.

The Hilton London Metropole crew.

The weather proved to be as unpredictable as ever, with bright sunshine, wind, rain, hail and thunder greeting volunteers – sometimes all within the space of an hour!

Dedicated teams kept on track and collectively cleared the canal of over 30 bags of rubbish. Among items picked up from the canal included plastic bottles, plastic bags, takeaway cartons and aluminium cans.

Marriott Park Lane volunteers.

Bunzl volunteers.

According to the Canal and River Trust research, around 14 million pieces of plastic rubbish end up in UK waterways each year. This has the potential to damage waterside habitats as well as risk serious injuries or even suffocation of the wildlife.

Thank you to all the volunteer teams who take to the water in all weathers to help keep the local natural environmental and its wildlife cleaner of rubbish.

Montcalm volunteers.

Marriott Marble Arch volunteers.

Bridgepoint volunteers.