York Dungeon Joined by Local Businesses For Third Volunteer Riverside Clean Event of 2026

A number of York businesses once again joined us on the 16th of September in cleaning up York’s riverside. We first held a riverside clean in June 2022, in support of the global conservation charity SEA LIFE TRUST and their annual Global Beach Clean. This was the 8th such event, and the 3rd this year.
 
Little Vikings
Grand Opera House York
GMi Construction
Visit York
Kare and Way Solicitors
Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies

In just over one hour we collected 60kg of rubbish from the areas around King’s Staith, Tower Gardens, St George’s Field and New Walk. 
 
Mark Mattinson, General Manager of the York Dungeon said “We can’t thank our fellow York businesses enough for supporting us on yet another riverside clean. In 2022 we hosted our first event in line with Global Beach Clean Day, and the following four events fell on the same day as either Global Beach Clean Day or World Ocean’s Day, in support of the SEA LIFE Trust. 
 
“Today we held our event one day before the SEA LIFE Trust 24 Hour Global Beach Clean so that one of their team, Gage, was able to join us here in York. Thankfully the weather was very kind to us, and it made for a great hour in the sunshine supporting our local community”.
 
“Our team are really proud to work here in York, it is a beautiful city, and we love to do our little bit to help it keep looking its best for visitors and residents alike.”
 
In total, we have collected over 490kg of rubbish and litter from the riverside areas in York since 2022, with just over 200kg of that being collected this year. Items collected included an electric bike, an attachment for a vacuum cleaner, a fishing rod, items of male clothing including jeans and a polo shirt, a broken road sign, and the most common items collected were aluminium alcohol cans and cigarette butts. As much of the collected items that can be recycled will be.
 
Gage Spencer, Marketing and Engagement Executive for the SEA LIFE TRUST, told us “It was fantastic to join the team at York Dungeon for the SEA LIFE TRUST 24-Hour Global Clean-Up. We spent time cleaning along the river and connecting with local businesses, and despite many areas already being wonderfully clean, we still managed to collect an incredible 60kg of litter. It was a brilliant reminder of what can be achieved when local communities and businesses come together to care for their environment.”