Author Archives: Neil Frost

Not the best weather but nevertheless eight stalwarts, including two new members, turned up to remove as much litter, and especially sexual debris, as possible.

Some of us know the ‘hotspots’ very well, and for others they were new (or so they claimed!).

It was the usual plan of attack with everyone moving in the same general direction, sometimes working alone

sometimes in twos and threes

and sometimes meeting together in larger groups to review progress.

Despite an invitation for other cruisers to join us for a hot drink no one did. The refreshment break is always a good opportunity to catch up on news and have a few laughs.

Lots of the hotspots were in their usual, rather tacky, state. It is surprising how quickly a mucky area can look much smarter.

Given how long it was since our last full litterpick there was less litter than we had expected. Partly due to the weather not being the best weather for less enthusiastic cruisers, partly due to others having done some litterpicking (thank you) and partly due to more and more guys putting their litter in the bins and bags provided (thank you).

It was a good total haul for the day – the equivalent of 15 sacks of recyclable bits and pieces and 25 sacks of general litter.

Thanks to all who took part. We hope to see you again in May!

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

This particular species of OWL usually hibernates from December until April each year. But a Red/Amber alarm call had gone out! There was an annoyingly large amount of sexual debris around the cruising area only a few weeks after our last OWL clean up. So it was time to, temporarily at least, come out of hibernation.

It was decided that action was needed and the three longest-serving OWLS met up for an informal litterpick.

Experienced and talented they got to work promptly. As OWLS we believe that the less sexual debris there is in the cruising area then the fewer complaints there will be and the more likely it is that cruising will continue, uninterrupted by the threats of ‘enforcement’ which have been made in the past by the authorities.

For some of us it was frustrating to see so much needless litter. We know that many more guys are being considerate in ensuring that they take their litter away or put it in a bin or bag. So we don’t really understand why, when it is usually so simple, guys chuck their sexual debris on the ground. Is it to mark their territory? Is it to give an obvious sign that that’s where the action takes place?

Which looks better? This?              

Tissues and wipes – oh dear!

Or this:                                 

More pleasant to look at?

Those sexual health messages are still getting through apparently! Lube helps to prevent damage and potentially makes fucking more fun. Water based lube should be used with latex condoms. There was plenty of evidence of condoms being used. And there was some evidence of water-based lube, although some seemed to have been around for a while.

More tissues hung in the bushes?! WTF?

Before

 After a bit of litterpicking:                           

After

Surely the view in the second picture above draws less attention, and is much nicer than the first?!

Not sure why, with a rubbish sack placed so conveniently, so much is thrown on the ground. However, recently one committed cruiser was seen making sure that when he unloaded it went in the rubbish sack – that really is above the call of duty!

Just the right height to receive a big load!

We often find interesting, unusual or strange things during OWL litterpicks. Today’s theme seemed to be discarded wallets. Two of them in different places, with both containing personal and important cards. But no money, suggesting that they had been discarded by pick-pockets. Details are in the ‘News’ section and OWL hope the owners can be reunited with their wallets.

Two wise OWLs

Despite the wallets it had been a good session. Eleven rubbish sacks of sexual debris and eleven of recycling.

Twenty Two Full Sacks

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

The last OWL (OUT With Litter) litterpick of 2018 and we couldn’t complain about the weather.

Four willing volunteers to start with, then five and eventually six at the end.  Following our usual route for three of us, and with one heading for an area he was particularly keen to work on, we headed forth, not exactly treading in each others’ footsteps, but certainly seeking the places where the action had been.

One’s an Elf but is the other goblin’?!

We are so used to this that it was easy working as a team, using a technique where all of the cruising areas were visited and all of the hotspots removed of their load of condoms, condom foils, lube sachets, tissues and wipes.   

It was good to have such fine working conditions.Although the ground covering was different to that for the equivalent day in 2017.Eventually we met up with Team member number 4.Then it was time for refreshments – for today’s litterpick traditionally including a Christmas theme – mulled wine (excellent) and some very tasty Waitrose mince pies. There were mixed views on the Heston Blumenthal Cherry and Chocolate ones, but who can’t resist a mince in the woods at Christmas?! In any case, the refreshments were much-appreciated – as well as being significantly alcoholic.Then onto more of the same with two groups heading in entirely different directions, both keen to ensure that a thorough clean was done during this, our last litterpick for a few months (these OWLs hibernate from now until April).We were again pleased that much less litter is being left strewn around and far more use is being made of the various black rubbish sacks OWL has left strategically-convenient for post-shag detritus drop-off.Finally it was back to base, seal the rubbish sacks and stack them creatively ready for collection.

Sorry to say it but this really was a rubbish Christmas Tree

Fifteen sacks of recyclable litter (bottles and cans) and eighteen of general rubbish including the sexual detritus we’d set off to prioritise.

An excellent day’s work to finish this season.Thanks to everyone who has taken part in an OWL litterpick during 2018. And best wishes for the Festive Season to all who use the woods – for whatever reason!

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

Another excellent day to be out in the woods – and we weren’t alone. A number of other guys had felt that it was the right weather to wander around the woods and into the bushes! Well why not?!

At the start we had just three willing volunteers. But with experienced litterpickers good progress was made through the woods, paying particular attention to the various hotspots.

Of course, there’s always time to stop for a picture to be taken!

Someone has littered the woods with green bags. Maybe helpful, maybe inappropriate. As long as it means there will be less litter thrown on the ground do we care?! Although it’s not one of our bags OWL certainly agreed with the sentiments someone has written on this bag.

Although at first glance it looked like there wouldn’t be much for us to collect – maybe someone had been round litterpicking recently – our sacks were soon brimming and it wasn’t long before we had to return to base to drop the full sacks off.

Which of course means its refreshment time. Always welcome. Always ample.

Then on for more of the same. It might sound tedious but it’s actually quite rewarding to know that we are clearing up litter that might otherwise offend people. And if, within our volunteers, there are those who have made good use of the Snaresbrook Woods in the past, why not put something back?!

Apart from the curiosity about the various strange items we’ve found in the past (see previous posts) one thing that interests us is the way guys dispose of their sexual debris. Some just chuck it anywhere; some hang used condoms on branches for all to see (are we supposed to be impressed?); some take their litter and put it in the nearest bag or bin. We’ve seen a very welcome increase in the number of considerate guys who are now showing care in the way they get rid of their post-shag rubbish.

One of the hotspots, Dirty Den (well, everywhere has to have a name!) used to be strewn with condoms, lube sachets and tissues each time we visited. Today the rubbish bag had been used and there was nothing we needed to pick up. RESULT!  Thank you.

By now we’d been joined by two further enthusiastic litterpickers, taking our merry band up to five skilled workers in total.

The session after our refreshments was as productive as the one before and we ended up with a total of 10 sacks of recycling rubbish (mainly bottles and cans) and 17 of general rubbish (much of it being used condoms, lube sachets, tissues and wipes – grrrr – they don’t degrade!).

As has become the tradition at the end of a litterpicking session, some of our volunteers felt they needed to check the quality of the morning’s work by undertaking Quality Assurance checks throughout the woods. There’s nothing like being assured of a bit of quality in the woods after a litterpicking session!

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)