Residents clean up polluted stream
A local litter eyesore blighted by drug use and rough sleeping has a new lease of life after 25 local residents turned out over the weekend to clean it up.
More than 40 bags of rubbish were cleared from the area opposite the Hindu Temple on Keel Drive. Also cleared were several shopping trolleys, a scooter and a safe.
The clean-up was organised by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) who, along with Slough Borough Council, Thames Water and the Environment Agency, are trying to restore the Salthill Stream catchment by involving the local community, improving water quality, reducing flooding and bringing back wildlife.
WWT’s Technical Officer, Alice Wickman, said:
“This spot has amazing potential as a place for people to come and enjoy. It’s right opposite the temple and backs onto the allotments. The water here is actually spring water. It comes straight out of the ground so it’s really pure.
“But it’s been unloved place for a while now and some people have taken advantage of that and started to use it as a place to dump litter and household rubbish, blocking the stream and threatening wildlife. It had become polluted and a really unpleasant place to be.
“So, we put out the call for help and there was an amazing response from local people. Now, there’s hardly any litter, it’s lighter in the woods and by the stream, and as a result it’s much nicer to walk through”.
As well as cleaning up, the team of volunteers created piles of logs and other features to encourage wildlife to flourish.
WWT’s project, “Transforming Slough; saving the Salt Hill stream”, was officially launched in September last year and several initiatives are planned along its length. There’s lots more to do to save the stream. Anyone who would like to get involved can contact alice.wickman@wwt.org.uk for details.
