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Big Dee Day 2017

Published: 14/08/2017

Flintshire County Council will proudly host this years annual Big Dee Day launch on Friday 15 September at Wepre Park, Connah’s Quay. The Big Dee Day is probably the biggest community and conservation based event in North East Wales and North West England. This year the event will be themed on trees and will branch out into Shropshire, Wrexham and Denbighshire, with these counties joining Flintshire, Cheshire and NRW as key stakeholders, working together in the annual clean-up of the River Dee and its catchment area. Everyone involved will be working hard to clear river and marine litter, as well as planting trees, and sprucing up the special places along its banks, coast and catchment area from the Welsh mountains to the coastal habitat of the Dee estuary to the Shropshire border. Last year hundreds of people took part and hundreds of bags of litter were collected. In Flintshire, the efforts are coordinated by the Councils Countryside Rangers who take the opportunity to work with local businesses, conservation and community groups, to plant trees and bulbs, clear rubbish and paint benches. The event is supported by many community groups and numerous businesses including Tesco, Airbus, Kingspan, ENI, and many more. This year Tesco will have over 100 staff members volunteering their services for the clean-up, working at 7 sites across the region. Making a measurable impact on coastal and estuary litter, the event has cleared tons of rubbish from Flintshires coast and coastal communities. It has also initiated coastal regeneration hand in glove with the Wales Coast path. Councillor Carolyn Thomas, Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Countryside Services said: Flintshire County Council is once again very proud to be hosting the Big Dee Day launch. The event has got bigger every year since it was first established by the Councils Countryside Service in 2007 with more and more people, community groups and businesses getting involved every year and is now probably the biggest independent cross border river and estuary clean up in the UK. “It really is fantastic to see so many wanting to help look after and protect our local environment. The community and business volunteers play a huge part in helping to ensure our coastline is kept clean for both visitors and wildlife. Thousands of bags of litter have been collected by hundreds of volunteers over the last 10 years and this years event promises to be bigger and better than ever! Flintshire County Council Countryside Ranger Tim Johnson said: Were so grateful to everyone who has supported The Big Dee Day over the last ten years and made it such a success. Its grown into a major cross border event covering miles of coastline from Talacre to Chester and Llangollen and now includes north Shropshire. Theres a real sense of community pride, with volunteers not only working to clean-up the river but also planting trees and bulbs and painting to enhance the environment along the banks.” Although many events are already planned there is still time to get your group, business or organisation involved in this year’s Big Dee Day. Please contact the Rangers at the Visitors Centre at Wepre Park in Connahs Quay on 01352 703900 for further information. Notes to Editors This years Big Dee Day launch, sponsored by McDonalds, will take place at Wepre Park, Connah’s Quay on Friday 15 September. You are welcome to send a representative to attend from 9.30am.