As part of its bid to make its neighbourhoods cleaner, greener and safer, social landlord Riverside took part in a canal cleanup and towpath tidy in Litherland.

In partnership with Litherland and Ford Area Committee, staff and tenants from Riverside teamed up with British Waterways and Liverpool City Council to collect 25 sacks of rubbish from the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Items retrieved ranged from beer cans and an old boot to a bus stop sign and a hula hoop.

The 12 volunteers covered a mile and a half stretch on foot while British Waterway’s Water Witch covered the same area in the water.

Riverside Community Engagement Officer Kay Davies said: “Not only is fly-tipping unsightly but it can also be harmful to wildlife. It’s such a shame that people use the canal as a dumping ground because once we had cleared the area we could see just how nice it could be if people learn to respect the environment and take pride in the area.”

Riverside also took part in a street tidy up in the Housing Market Renewal area of Peel Knowsley in Bootle. Local partners and volunteers including Sefton Council’s Environmental Engagement Team, Park Rangers and residents filled four skips and two wagons with unwanted items and pre-Christmas rubbish. The hard work was rewarded with a hot lunch at nearby St Leonards Community Hall.

Earlier this year Riverside picked up the Good Practice in Partnership Working prize at the Strictly Regeneration Awards for Bootle’s Big Tidy-Up, which demonstrated how joint working involving different organisations, agencies and disciplines has helped promote the regeneration of the area.