Continuing its social value programme around the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, GL events UK is delighted to be working with the impactful charity, Canal & River Trust.
Nurturing 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales, this organisation is committed to improving waterways, with the aim of protecting local environments and improving the wellbeing of surrounding communities. These goals align with the legacy that the Games intends to create, as well as those of GL events UK; following on from its Pay It Forward incentive, that promotes sustainable event initiatives.
Environmental improvement is an issue that sits high on the public agenda, as a recent Birmingham 2022 survey found that three quarters of British adults feel that climate change is one of the most important issues to tackle.
Previous volunteer days with Canal & River Trust have included litter picking as part of the organisation’s ‘Plastic Challenge’ as well as tree-planting along various stretches of canals in central Birmingham.
Continuing this fruitful partnership, GL events UK looks forward another day of volunteering at Cambrian Wharf, which will focus on the maintenance of a lock flight and graffiti removal. Originally built around farm fields, this area remains a central feature of what is now a modern city landscape along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.
Graffiti removal can play an important part in transforming areas in and around Birmingham, as it can help protect walls and buildings from further damage; particularly with the porous nature of concrete and brick. On a similarly harmful note, graffiti can be lethal to local ecosystems, as the aerosol sprays used can contain volatile organic compounds.
According to The Environmental Protection Agency, these compounds are considered powerful pollutants and can also contribute to the already alarming O-zone levels. Removal of such graffiti can therefore not only improve the aesthetic of local areas, but can also serve to potentially deterrent people from creating further damage in the future, bar those who have legally obtained permission for artistic purposes. It is therefore hoped that this volunteer day will provide social, environmental and health benefits in this area as part of the wider Canal & River Trust programme.
Stay tuned for this upcoming day and for history on Birmingham’s canals or click here for more updates in relation to our social value programme.
