Saturday 29 October: 'Make a Difference Day'

"Brent Council is encouraging residents to support this year’s Make a Difference Day on Saturday 29 October by joining an event to clear up and brighten the Brent River Park.

"The day will be marked in the borough with a river clean-up and planting of daffodils organised by Brent Council, Groundwork London, Brent Youth Volunteers, Thames 21 and the Friends of Brent River Park. The event is being held to encourage residents and users of the open space in Wembley to help improve their community.

"Councillor Lesley Jones, Brent Council’s Lead Member for Customers and Citizens, said: 

"The day is an excellent way for Brent residents to try volunteering and help improve their local area, and to make a different in their community. The Brent River Park in Wembley is a fantastic open space for everyone in the borough to enjoy. I would encourage as many local residents to get involved in the big clean-up this Saturday."

Gillian DeSoyres, Groundwork London said: 

"This volunteering day will give people in the local community an opportunity to make a real, sustained difference to the environment of the River Brent. We hope that many people will participate and bring about changes to their area."

Volunteers should meet at 10:30am at the children’s play area off Vivian Avenue, Wembley, by the river park. Rubbish sacks, litter pickers and gloves will be provided and volunteers are advised to wear old clothes. Children must be accompanied by adults. In addition, there will be a health and safety briefing. Participants will be split into two teams: one to clear rubbish in the park and the river and the other to plant wild daffodils in the open spaces surrounding the river. They will switch activities halfway through. After the clean up, there will be light refreshments at 12:30pm.

The event is supported by Brent Council, Thames 21, and funded by C-Change, a trans-national cooperation project funded by the European Union. The 'C-Change Partnership' is delivering a network of climate change projects across north-west Europe, with three themes: 

• community engagement and behaviour change
• creating multi functional open spaces, and 
• adapting city spatial planning strategies to respond to the challenges of climate change.

Groundwork London has a long-standing tradition of supporting volunteering and undertaking activities that help to nurture community pride, enabling people to make a difference to where they live, and this is one of many London events that the organisation has planned for Make a Difference Day.

The Friends of Brent River Park was set up in 2003, to keep the local community involved after the river park had been developed. The group acts as custodians of the park, promotes it as a valuable and enjoyable community green space, and ensures the river park and wildlife which depend on it are protected and respected.

To get involved, contact Gillian on 020 8762 0354 or email gillian.desoyres@groundwork.org.uk.