Ten Tideway apprentices from the central section of the project convened at the Leaside Trust Canoe Club in Clapton where they rowed 2.5-miles to retrieve litter from the River Lea. 

Battling against wind and rain, the river-faring refuse collectors pulled the usual suspects from the water - an abundance of plastic bottles and packaging as well as footballs and four shoes (none matching, unfortunately). They deposited the collected rubbish in a designated waste barge further downstream. 

Nicole Jalas, Project Management Apprentice, said: "This was a great day. Despite the weather, we had a lot of fun. It bonded us as a team and has a strong environmental link to the Tideway project. Activities like this get us away from our desks and sites and allow us to use our skills in a way which helps local communities and environments".

The River Lea is 42 miles long and originates in the Chiltern Hills northwest of London. It flows southeast and meets The Thames just west of Canning Town.