Two goodgymmers helped the Thames Landscape Strategy litter pick the banks and paths near the Hanworth stretch of the Longford River next to Oriel Estate and Swift road.

Thames had requested a special visit from Operation Centaur, a fab shire horse company that came to mow the grass with the horses and a fabulous contraption, after we had cleared the way.

Tom from Operation Centaur was the main man. he told us the horses were called William (not Willy, as Gen was firmly told), with the white nose, who was five and very restless, and Joey, with the lovely slanting white stripe down his nose, who was fourteen and a bit calmer. Gen had a chat with M, aged 11 (human boy), who proudly proclaimed himself “Tom, the Next Generation” - it was a toss up who was the cuter between him and the horses.

Gen also learned the delightful news that Shire Horses come complete with great curling white moustaches on their top lip at the tip of their shouts, the sort that would give a World War One pilot a run for his money 🥸

We cleared about ten bags of rubbish!

Thanks to everyone that joined us and thanks to the caretakers at oriel resource centre for helping us clear the rubbish (so fast we forgot to take a pic).