Author Archives: Neil Frost

It’s always good to be in the woods with other guys and today was no exception. Fine weather and guys who were up for it. (Litterpicking, that is). And good to be able to welcome a new OWL who had come along to take part.

The Health and Safety briefing over, two groups were soon underway. One group heading to the woods between the Snaresbrook Road car park and Eagle Pond. The other group heading to the woods between the car park and Woodford New Road.

We were all quickly down to work

We get used to the variety of things we find. Who wouldn’t expect to find a bass speaker cabinet in the woods?!

One of our team reckons, with them having been banned, this could be the last ever piece of single-use plastic cutlery we find….

Talking of unusual finds, what about these? Had someone thrown their (sex) toys out of the pram?! We really should have included something in the pic to give a sense of scale! Believe us, that is one LARGE dildo! Several said they’d give use of that a wide berth. Another commented that it would create one! 

Much of the woods having been rid of general litter and much offensive litter, and with an extra rubbish sack installed in one place and another removed in another place, it was time to meet up again and enjoy friendly chat, banter and refreshments.

Then, for most of us, off again to do more of the same but in different places.

 With practically all of the woods having been cleared, as well as the stretch along the road and the area near the school, it was time to regroup, tie the bags and leave them ready for collection.

The total bag-count for todays session? The equivalent of 27 standard sized rubbish sacks. Adding 32 collected over the last month by our three ‘solo’ litterpickers gives a monthly total of 59 sacks, much of which heads off for re-cycling. (Not the dildo! That’s being saved for a special occasion!)

Please note that we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. There might have been more OWL volunteers taking part than are in the above pictures.

No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session.

Another month; another OWL litterpick. Six willing volunteers were ready to clean up the woods and make them better for all users.

As usual we set off in teams, our tasks being to empty the various rubbish sacks we’ve placed in the many ‘hot spots’; to clear up the rubbish around them (SO unnecessary when there’s a sack so close); and to remove the litter from the paths and tracks.

There’s never a shortage of litter to be collected.

It’s great that in the sunbathing areas generally guys use the rubbish sacks we’ve placed there. Makes it better for everyone. Nevertheless, the sacks still need to be emptied.

If guys are cruising in the woods they are probably after cock. Here are two found in the woods:

With plenty of work done refreshments are always appreciated. Especially when there are home-cooked delights!

More rubbish, including lots of sexual debris, still to be collected so on we went.

Those of a nervous disposition should beware. It might have seemed like a scene from Chainsaw Masacre. In fact it was a friendly OWL ensuring that brambles, nettles and gorse along the paths is trimmed back. No one wants scratches or stings on their sensitive parts.

Our OWL volunteers had covered a lot of ground on this litterpick. Including clearing up two areas of flytipping; one lot seemed to be kitchen items and the other was bedroom items (but not THAT sort of bedroom item)!

The total bag-count for todays session was the equivalent of 32 standard sized rubbish sacks. Adding 39 collected over the last month by our ‘solo’ litterpickers gives a monthly total of 71 sacks. At least much of it heads off for re-cycling.

Please note that we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. There might have been more OWL volunteers taking part than are in the above pictures.

No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session.

A bumper litterpick with eight OWLs  ready to get into the woods and clean up the litter – making the place better for all users.

Luckily it was a pleasant, sunny, day and the ground conditions weren’t bad considering the recent rain.

Off our volunteers went, visiting and emptying our black sacks in ‘hot spots’. Somewhat annoyingly having to pick up sexual debris from the ground and the bushes that hadn’t made its way into the sacks (why do guys chuck stuff away when it’s often easier to put it in a black sack?). And, of course, using the opportunity to pick up all other litter enroute.

Our volunteers weren’t alone!

The young fox that sometimes scares cruisers at night when it strolls confidently past decided it might like to join in!

With much work done it was time for the mid-session break. Always appreciated and today with extra goodies added to the menu.

Onwards to do more, ensuring that the cruising areas are about as clear of litter as they’ve ever been.

A bit of a ‘gleaners’ theme to things today. Fungi were sprouting everywhere like magic. Who doesn’t like a mushroom head?! (btw – we know these are not mushrooms and should not be eaten).

It was reported that there were some sightings of things that were plump and juicy! And so were these blackberries.

The whole area having been given a brilliant, comprehensive, clean up it was time to get back to base and put the filled sacks beside the road ready for collection.

Another excellent amount of work done by our OWL volunteers and another impressive haul. The equivalent of 21 of our standard-sized sacks. With another 32 having been collected by our solo litterpickers that’s a total of 53 this last month.

Please note that we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. There might have been more OWL volunteers taking part than are in the above pictures.

No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session.

Great to have three OWLs returning after a while away, meaning that we had seven volunteers in total for today’s litterpick. All experienced litterpickers. All skilled and knowledgeable.

With a plan of how we would approach things we set off in various directions.

Visiting the various hot spots where action takes place, emptying rubbish sacks and picking up the used condoms, condom foils, lube sachets and many, many tissues.

Funny the things you find in the woods!

An impressive amount of rubbish collected on the first sweep which covered much of the cruising area. Time to get back to base for a break and some refreshments. Jammy Dodgers and fresh coffee included.

Then back to work and on to areas we sometimes don’t manage to get to.

Those areas dealt with it was time to meet up again.

And head back to base to tie and count the sacks and put them beside the road for collection.

We reckon that we collected the equivalent of 30 of our usual-size sacks today (30 s.b.e for those who understand the jargon!). Our solo litterpickers had collected 39 sacks-full in the last month, giving a total of 69 standard-size sacks of rubbish. What a haul!

We are used to inconsiderate litterers. Nevertheless it’s annoying when litter is chucked on the ground when it would be easier to put it in a rubbish sack. Guys could help us so much if they:

• Took their litter away with them.
• Put litter in sacks rather than chucking it on the ground or in the bushes.
• Crushed cans and plastic bottles so they take up much less room.

Just saying…..!

Please note that we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. There might have been more OWL volunteers taking part than are in the above pictures. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

Eight OWLs at today’s work party, including  friendly new volunteer, off-duty Policeman Sam who took to litterpicking as though he had been doing it all of his life. And who is supportive of the gay community and totally cool about cruising. A lovely guy and we hope he’ll be litterpicking with us again soon.’

With such a great number of OWLs in the woods we were able to cover a lot of territory.

And not just litterpicking – one of our number got his tool out and made good use of it, opening up the paths for easier cruising.

Starting off in two groups, but then dispersing, we made our ways as usual through the cruising area, clearing up all the litter we could find and emptying our various black sacks which we’ve conveniently attached to trees in the hot spots.

Surely this is taking clearing up just a little bit too seriously……..?

Plenty of full sacks were brought back to base part-way through the session, just in time for us to enjoy some refreshments.

Then on for more, with our OWLs seeking out territory that might not have been visited for a while.

Finally back to base and the placing of the sacks at the side of theroad ready for collection.

We reckon that’s the equivalent of 33 of our ‘regular’ sacks. Add on the equivalent of 44 sacks collected by our lovely ‘solo’ litterpickers and that makes 77 sacks-worth of litter this last month. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Please note that we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. There might have been more OWL volunteers taking part than are in the above pictures. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)