By Grimsby canoe river cleaner appears on BBC’s The One Show
Grimsby’s own canoe river cleaner made an appearance on BBC’s hit talk show, The One Show, last night (7 September).
James Elliot, 46, has become a local celebrity after documenting his river cleaner efforts of the River Freshney and other local waterways on his Facebook page.
Filming of the segment took place back in May 2021, starting at Spurn Point and covering the build-up of algae and litter in the surrounding areas of Trent and Ancholme.
Joining James in the segment was Lucy Siegle, a fellow canoer and environmentalist.
On working with Siegle, James said: “It was nice to be with a presenter who was championing what I do. We had people helping us on the day too, finding all sorts in the river including tyres, trollies and even bikes.”
James said that filming showed Grimsby in a positive light and that “it made me proud to be from the area.”
Since the programme aired, James has received waves of support from local residents and local businesses.
His television debut follows a sponsorship deal from a local Suzuki dealership who gave James a £25,000 car to help him in his clean-up efforts.
James has recently set up a Crowdfunder to raise £15,000 to keep the River Freshney clean, with the money raised enabling him to clean the river two to three times a week.
