Craigbrack pupils clean up

Almost 50 pupils, parents and staff turned up on Saturday, March 9 to clean up a section of the Castle River at Mill Path in Eglinton.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Mar 2013, 06:00 BST
Pupils from Craigbrack Primary who helped clean up Castle River in Eglinton with officers, teachers and some of the rubish they removed.Pupils from Craigbrack Primary who helped clean up Castle River in Eglinton with officers, teachers and some of the rubish they removed.
Pupils from Craigbrack Primary who helped clean up Castle River in Eglinton with officers, teachers and some of the rubish they removed.

A raft, bicycle and 18 bags of rubbish were pulled from the river and undergrowth of Jamison’s Glen. Children as young as four did their bit for the Castle River which the school has agreed to improve through the Faughan Valley Landscape Partnership and Loughs Agency’s ‘Adopt – A – Stream’ programme.

In addition to the cleanup Craigbrack Wildlife and Science Club also monitored the water quality by checking the invertebrate life present in the stream. The pupils of Craigbrack Primary School have also been involved in the ‘Trout in the Classroom’ project with the Loughs Agency and following the clean up each child got to release a young trout fry into the stream to help boost the population in the Faughan Valley area.

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Annie Mullan, Community Engagement Officer with Faughan Valley Landscape Partnership said, ‘It was inspiring to see so many turn out to improve the Castle River on a wet and cold day. The children, parents and staff got the Glen cleared up in record time and it would be great if local people could continue to work together to keep the Glen litter free. Other community groups or schools who wish to undertake similar projects in the Faughan Valley area should get in touch for support and funding.’

RAPID, Derry City Council and the Woodland Trust have come together to form the Faughan Valley Landscape Partnership which aims to “create a vibrant, natural and cultural diverse landscape within the Faughan Valley that the whole community appreciates, and is engaged with, making it a sustainable landscape for living.’ Heritage Lottery Fund supports the scheme through its Landscape Partnership grant programme.

For further information on the Faughan Valley Landscape Partnership and school programmes please contact Annie Mullan, Community Engagement Officer. Tel: 028 7133 7498, email: [email protected] or visit www.faughanvalley.com