The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A Spalding surfer plans to body board nine kilometres along the River Welland to raise awareness of the problems caused by dumping rubbish in waterways.
Darryn Allen will take to the water on July 30 to paddle on a body board from Spalding Yacht Club in Cradge Bank to the Twin Sisters before swapping to a surf board for the rest of his journey to Springfields.
The effort will raise money for the Surfers Against Sewage cause, but also highlight the amount of litter dropped into the Welland.
Father-of-two Darryn (37), who has been surfing since childhood, said: “The River Welland is a beautiful river but it is full of rubbish, underlining the problem we have with our waterways in the UK.
“It is such a shame what you see dumped in the river. It really shouldn’t be a dumping ground for rubbish.
“My aim is to bring awareness in a fun way to the public to think twice about where they put the rubbish.
“It’s not just us it affects, it’s the animals that don’t have a choice in where they live.”
His JustGiving fundraising page has also collected pledges totalling more than £200 towards Darryn’s £500 target.
The money will go to help Surfers Against Sewage continue its good work toward making our water and beaches a cleaner and safer place for not just surfers but all water users.
Darryn, a manager with APC Wet Paint Ltd in Clay Lake, is preparing for the big day with training sessions in the diving pool at Spalding swimming pool.
He said: “I hope everybody gets behind me to support what I am doing – we can all do our bit to keep the rivers clear of rubbish and protect the wildlife that lives there.”
To sponsor Darryn, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/darryn-allen
