Faith Batten and Megan Childs, International Trade Documentation Specialists, traded their office chairs for paddleboards and joined a river clean-up on the River Avon in Keynsham. Partnering with Planet Patrol and UK Active Outdoors, the duo spent the day enjoying the stunning scenery and tackling waste in a truly hands-on way.

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Megan shared her experience:

"Armed with buckets, gloves, and litter picks, we paddled out onto the water to collect as much waste as we could from the river, trees, and reeds. We were amazed at how much litter had been swept into the branches by high water levels."

But it wasn't all hard work—nature had its own rewards. "We spotted swans, a heron, and even a kingfisher! It was a peaceful, yet purposeful, day on the water," Megan added.

One of the surprising finds? A whole car tyre! Faith and Megan logged everything on the Planet Patrol app, helping to identify major litter culprits. Their efforts revealed that Coca-Cola and McDonald's items were the most frequently found, Tesco topped the charts for supermarket litter, and Strongbow led the way in discarded beverage containers.

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With spring just around the corner, Faith and Megan are already looking forward to the next clean-up adventure. Well done to both for making a difference!

Business West gives all its employees two volunteering days each year. If you have an opportunity to volunteer, check out Planet Patrol and Active Outdoors.