The Canoe River Cleaner

02/06/2026

You gotta know when to go home 🤣

When the sky looks like a scene from The NeverEnding Story, you know that it's time to put the tools away !

Thanks to comrade Kev, Zac and Paula for reporting these errant items and for the cleansing team at North East Lincolnshire Council for the impending collection 👍

Freshney Comrades
PickWalks

02/06/2026

Bloomin eck !

It doesn't take a genuis to work out that this becomes rat food, and despite that, our ducks and swans with their ducklings and cygnets certainly dont need takeaway food 😳

Canal & River Trust
Freshney Comrades

02/06/2026

The most famous swan in the country 🤣

Alright… that might be pushing it a bit, but this photo of one of our Boulevard beauties is certainly doing the rounds.

I took this shot from my canoe a few years back, and since then it’s featured in a calendar, been turned into an award-winning watercolour… and now it’s picked up runner-up for best ‘wildlife whilst litter-picking’ photo in conjunction with Keep Britain Tidy and RiverCare & BeachCare

This one means a lot to me, not just for the recognition, but for what it represents. The incredible wildlife we’re lucky enough to share our River Freshney with. Also, I think we often take the beauty of swans for granted.

As well as cleaning up in the first instance, I use photos like this to show just how special our river is. If it makes even a few people think twice before littering, then it’s doing exactly what it’s meant to do.

This isn’t just about a photo, it’s about promoting and protecting the river.

🦢




Freshney Comrades
North East Lincolnshire Council
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust

31/05/2026

You can keep your adrenaline, thanks 🤣

Today’s family trip to Alton Towers confirmed one thing… I’m definitely not a thrill seeker.
In fact, I managed three rides, the gallions on the pond (the replacement for the swans), the Gangster Granny story ride and the haunted mansion 🤣

Although, i did find my own kind of excitement. A chat with Paul, the head litter picker, who walked me through the behind the scenes logistics of keeping the park clean. He even proudly showed off his motorised wagon which is an impressive bit of kit, built to handle just about anything the day throws at him

And yep..…I found the pub 🍷

Back on the tools tomorrow with around a billion kids for a day of litter picking and learning all about rivers ✅️

31/05/2026

There's no such thing as a 'Seagull'

(the most boring and informative video you'll watch today 🤣)

Warning ⚠️ may induce sleep

31/05/2026

Scary fun times 👻 🚂

Being on a ghost train today with my parents, is hands down, the funniest thing that I have ever done 🤣

Alton Towers

30/05/2026

The wildlife pond 🐸

A few years ago, I dug a simple hole in the lawn behind my garage and turned it into a wildlife pond.

Now it’s home to newts, frogs, damselflies, and a whole host of aquatic life.

All that biodiversity from about £100 and just a couple of hours’ work.

If you want to bring your garden to life, adding water is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do.

Thanks to Lincolnshire Pond Plants Ltd for the aquatic plant starter kit and their expertise.

30/05/2026

A slack handful from last week 📸

Ive been a bit too busy to spend much time with the camera, but here's a few that might be worth a minute of your time.

The small bird of prey is a Hobby, which is one of my favourites.
These jokers are extremely fast and agile, and I'm too inexperienced to get anything worthwhile, but just watching these birds is a wonderful experience

I hope you like them 🙏

30/05/2026

Fancy volunteering at the Tape2Tape Events with Andys man Club Grimsby?

Jon and the gang are looking for a few more volunteers

Sunday 7th June 11am.

Just over 3 hours earlier, you were helping to set up the finish line water station at the Grimsby 10K.

3000 runners later, you are grinning, laughing and, in all probability, a bit wet from water spilled in the rush of handing it to the race finishers 💦

Join our team of volunteers at the finish line, further details are here:

tinyurl.com/AMC10kVolunteer 👌

This form is for anyone 16+, male or female that would like to volunteer at the Orsted Grimsby 10K on behalf of ANDYSMANCUB. We are looking for volunteers to assist with setting up the day before on Saturday 6th June and/or to help run the finish line water station on race day, Sunday 7th June. If y...

29/05/2026

Come grab me… I’m cheap 🥤

Well… this is mildly humiliating. I’ve officially hit bargain basement 🤣

For anyone who doesn’t know the backstory, a few years ago I was immortalised on a can of root beer by Soda Folk

They champion those who work in the community and apparently thought my story was interesting… and that the canoe would look good on a can.

It doesn’t make me any money, but it is pretty cool nonetheless, especially as it even gives a little shoutout to our very own River Freshney on the side. Silly? Yes. Am I proud? Also yes.

Anyway, it’s sold in random places as it's a bit niche you’ll even spot it in selected Pizza Hut and WHSmiths 😮

BUT.

Here’s the embarrassing part…

It’s now landed in Heron Foods Immingham for a grand total of 25p 🤣

(According to Geraldine, the store manager, it’s just because of a short date… which I’m choosing to believe for my own self-esteem.)

So yeah go grab one while them still got some because root beer tastes like Germolene smells 🤣

Herons Immingham
Freshney Comrades