Near Llangollen, Wales, the River Dee teems with life. Birds nest on the banks. Rafts float by like clockwork, filled with families and adventure seekers of all ages. Kayakers and canoeist are a near-daily presence on the rapids of the Town Stretch. It’s hard to believe that not even 20 years ago, access to the Dee between Horseshoe Falls and Llangollen Town Weir was a privilege granted only a few times per year.
With access negotiated for public use 365 days a year, Llangollen quickly became a hub for the UK paddling community. As more paddlers flocked to the Dee, paddling, then leaving, Aaron Kendall saw the divide between the locals and his fellow boaters growing. He knew that to have a positive impact—and maintain access to the Dee—something needed to change.
“The Clean Up was born from a real disengagement from the local community and paddlers.” – Aaron Kendall, founder Dee Valley Clean Up
It started with six or seven friends, a raft and some bin bags. One fun-filled float downstream where the focus was on picking up rubbish, not surfing every wave, shared on social media with surprising results.
With Dee Valley Clean Up, removing rubbish from Lllangollen’s wild places became a way to unite a community.
