First of a kind award for kayak club

Wombourne Kayak Club were awarded the Quality Club and the Clear Access Clean Waters Champion award.

The CACW award is a new initiative set up by British Canoeing, meaning that Wombourne is the first club in the UK to receive it.

The club's newly appointed clean waters champion, Zoey Rowe, said: "We are very proud of all the achievements the club has made. It is down to the work we did last year, about access to the Severn at Ironbridge and the clear-ups at Jackfield."

The club has been involved in doing clearing at least some of the debris from the rivers they paddle on for some time. Most recently last October, club members participated in a mass effort to clear litter from the Severn near Ironbridge.

Zoey added: "We have an arrangement with Telford and Wrekin Council, so they will pick up the rubbish we collect.

"We want to share the knowledge we have gained with more people and more clubs, so they are aware of access issues and the state of the river. It's about having strength in numbers."

The club was presented these awards at their recent AGM on Tuesday this week, and club members are already looking ahead. More clean-ups are planned, but not until there is less water in the Severn.

Zoey explained: "This time of year the river can be quite high and dangerous, and we plan to invite more than club members, but other groups too.

"We have been in touch with Severn Rivers Trust. We want a more open public event, and to do that we are going to wait until it is safer and there is better weather."