Category Archives: Pix and Picks

Our first OWL litterpick of 2026. Four brave souls turned up to brave the -6^oC temperature. And the snow.

But there was rubbish to be collected out there, so off into the woods to collect it they went, despite the snow falling gently!

In these temperatures the rubbish was frozen stiff. One of our volunteers reckoned that a condom he collected was the stiffest he’d seen there for a long time!

Back to base for some welcome refreshments.

Our group noticed that there are a number of Police posters on trees near the Eagle Pond side. Apparently there have been reports of attacks on the ducks which the Police are taking seriously so additional patrols, both uniformed and plain clothes, are operating.  So BE CAREFUL if you are using that area.

Here’s the whole group of Snowy OWLs who braved the elements to get the litterpick done.

Finally, as usual, the sacks were placed at the roadside ready for collection. We reckon that’s the equivalent of 11 of our standard-size sacks.

With a further 6 sacks collected by our ‘solo’ litterpickers, that makes a total of 17 sacks this month.

Good work in challenging conditions!

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.

Nine OWLs ready for the 2025 Festive Litterpick! And the weather was far better than it had been yesterday!

Litterpickers and rubbish sacks distributed, and gloves for those who wanted them, groups and individuals set off to find whatever litter they could in the various parts of the cruising ground. After a bit of ‘pose for the camera’.

There was plenty of litter to be found on the ground and in the black sacks we’ve placed in the ‘busy’ areas. Given the recent weather it was no surprise that tissues and wet wipes were as expected – wet.

After a good session across all of the cruising ground we counted them back.

Our Festive Litterpick and therefore time for festive refreshments! We were spoiled. Warmed napkins, flavoursome mulled wine and a selection of very fine, warmed, mince pies. What’s not to like?!

After which the litter that had been collected – the equivalent of 20 of our regular-size sacks – was taken to the road ready for collection tomorrow.

Adding the 17 that our solo volunteers have collected in the last month gives us a total of 37 sacks. Exactly the same as last month. We’re keeping the forest clean for all to enjoy!

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 nice day to be out in the woods!

Just five of us. So rather than head off in groups as we usually do we all went solo. Meaning that we could cover much of the various areas used for cruising.

Someone has been out and about. Who didn’t believe him when he said he had exactly a foot…?

Maybe that bit of extra help wasn’t needed after all…?

And it seems things are getting a bit classy…

With a number of unusual items having been collected, as well of course as the usual sexual debris, bottles and cans, nearly all areas were covered and it was back to base for drinks and a friendly chat.

Then today’s haul taken to the road, ready for collection tomorrow by our friends the Forest Wardens. We reckon that we collected the equivalent of 21 of our regular size sacks, plus a kitchen cabinet door!

Adding the 16 that our solo volunteers have collected in the last month gives us a total of 37 sacks. We’re keeping the forest clean for all to enjoy!

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.

Our band of loyal volunteers turned up on time and ready to get started on another OWL litterpick.

A nice day for it! Safety briefing over we set off.

Depending on how you define litter it’s interesting what we find!

Three teams of volunteers ranged far and wide across all of the cruising area. Although lots of the undergrowth has been cut back it’s good to see that there are areas that haven’t been and are still being well-used.

Oh dear – not that old “Sorry, not tonight, I’ve got a headache” excuse!!

After lots of hard work by all three teams it was time to bring all of the litter back to base.

Then time for well-earned refreshments and a chat.

Before taking today’s haul to the road for collection by our friendly Epping Forest colleagues.

In the last month our solo litterpickers have been dutifully out and about collecting the equivalent of 42 small sacks (what some stars!) and we reckon today we collected the equivalent of 19 small sacks. That gives a total this month of the equivalent of 61 small bags of litter.

                    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 litterpick.

A litterpick that started to the sounds of chainsaws coming from the woods. The continuation was underway of what is described as ‘Habitat Restoration’ (a programme fully documented elsewhere on our website) but which also has the effect of removing much of the useful cover of some of the paths and the removal of some useful private areas.

Our group of seven trusty volunteers headed out across the woods to collect whatever litter they could. We are used to it all. Bottles and cans of all descriptions. Sexual debris including condom and lube sachets, used condoms, tissues and wipes, the occasional vinyl glove.

After a considerable time collecting what was on the ground, in the bushes and in the rubbish sacks it was time to bring it all back. 

   Time for a catch-up and welcome refreshments. 

Then the tying of the sacks and carrying them to the road for our good friends, the Epping Forest Keepers, to collect the following morning. Today’s haul – the equivalent of 17 original-size rubbish sacks.

In the last month our solo litterpickers have been dutifully out and about collecting the equivalent of 32 original-size sacks. That gives a total this month of 49 bags of litter.

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 first Tuesday of the month. Another OWL group litterpick. Seven willing volunteers keen to remove unsightly and, offensive to some, litter.

Health and Safety briefing over our vounteers set off.

As well as empty bottles and cans, tissues, condom and lube foils and so on we also find other things – like this industrial-size Nitrous Oxide container.

Whatever was that doing in the woods? (of course we know what it had been doing!)

Our volunteers covered all parts of the cruising ground. 

It wasn’t all about litterpicking. We want to keep access open (!) and our hard working volunteer was out and about with his trimmer.

For ten years, at our own expense, we’ve positioned a bin in the woods at a place where many guys gather or walk through. It’s been well-used. We’ve recently been emptying it 3 times per week.

Sadly, someone has complained about the bin and Epping Forest personnel have removed it! We think that’s short-sighted as, without a bin, people are still going to leave rubbish. Our current OWL policy is that we won’t pick up litter left where our bin would have been. We hope the person who complained is pleased with the effect.

With such efficient volunteers we’d soon got the area clear of all litter – for now – and it was time to get back to base and enjoy a chat and some welcome refreshments. One of our volunteers had been up all night doing some baking!

Then the task of tying the sacks and putting them ready for collection beside the road. Today we’d collected the equivalent of 18 of our small-sized bags.

Our Solo OWLS have been doing a brilliant job, working on their own between litterpicks. In the last month they’d collected the equivalent of 51 small sacks. Amazing! That gives a total this month of 69 sacks of litter.

 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.

Many of us like some hot action in the woods. Today we all got it. Six of us litterpicking in the cruising area.

Having met at the corner of the Snaresbrook Road car park we headed off into the woods, the intention being to empty the rubbish bags and bin and pick up litter on the ground and in the bushes.

There were plenty of tissues to pick up in some of the hotspots. Such a shame that some guys don’t use the litter sacks and bins around the place.

Hot work. And strange what we find in the woods. Maybe someone was looking for a long screw(thread)?

Between the six of us we covered all of the hotspots and the areas in between. It was good to be thanked by several passers-by for the litterpicking we do.

 Having done all we could in those hot temperatures it was time to stop and have some refreshments. Cold drinks were appreciated! 

After a bit of a chat we’d had enough of litterpicking in this hot weather and it was time to tie up the bags and place them at the roadside ready for collection by the Epping Forest Rangers.

Today we’d collected the equivalent of 22 of our small-sized bags.

Plus 34 collected by our Solo OWLS, giving a total this month of 56 bags of litter.

By way of an explanation, why do we refer to ‘the equivalent of our small-sized bags’?? When OWL started we used much smaller rubbish sacks. We still use them in the Hot Spots to make it easy for guys to get rid of unwanted sexual debris. When we changed over to the larger sacks for collecting litter (much easier to use) we wanted to be able to compare our current days’  hauls with previous sessions. To make fair comparisons we needed to use one measuring system. Hence the ‘small bag equivalent’. Or ‘SBE’ in OWL jargon.

                    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.

Volunteers’ Week. And thankfully six of our finest volunteers turned up for today’s OWL litterpick.

 Health and Safety briefing over we headed off, two teams in two directions, to clean up the cruising ground.

The bin we’ve installed gets good use. Much better to throw rubbish in the bin than chuck it on the ground. Thanks to those who use the bin.

There has been some serious growth since last month’s OWL litterpick. Including in the vegetation. So the trusty trimmer was in use. If you want your bush trimmed this is the gadget to use!

Some overgrown paths are now free to use.

Sadly the battery ran out before all paths could be opened up. We’ll be back.

In the meantime litterpicking continued.

Until it was time to take a break and have some refreshments.

Then for some of us back for more. There was no lack of litter.

Finally bags tied up and placed by the road ready for collection.

The sack-count this month? The equivalent of 23 sacksful collected today. Plus 32 collected by our solo litterpickers. Making a total this month of 55 sacksful of litter.

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 excellent OWL litterpick today.

As usual we headed out to deal with different areas of the cruising ground.

It’s such a pity that some guys just dump their rubbish rather than put it in a nearby bin.

Not just litterpicking but also trimming back vegetation to make paths useable.

Good to see that the bin we’ve installed is well-used.

Work continued through the woods.

Until it was time for refreshments.  Always good to have a friendly chat together.

Then some of us stayed to do a bit more in the remoter areas of the cruising ground.

Someone’s come well-prepared. But we would recommend a water or silicon-based lube!

Eventually, with more full bags, time to return to base to put the bags by the road ready for collection. The equivalent of 19 of our standard-sized bags. Plus 34 collected by our solo litterpickers over the last month, giving a total for this month of 53 bags.

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 sunny day and a walk in the woods! What’s not to like?

Just four litter-picking volunteers today – but all skilled and three of them able-bodied!

It’s Spring! Someone’s come well-prepared for multiple sessions!

Our keen volunteers dealt with the litter and sexual debris both sides of the car park, eventually returning with multiple full sacks. We’ve added some extra rubbish sacks to an area being more frequently used for crusing than before.

Then time for a break, refreshments and a bit of a chat.

Time to be off for more litter-collecting, dealing with areas further away. Someone seems to have misinterpreted the ‘bring some poppers’ message!

Then back to base one more time, with the sacks being placed on the road for collection. Today’s haul equates to 22 of our standard size rubbish sacks.

In the last month our brilliant ‘solo’ volunteers have been out and about regularly. The equivalent of 41 standard-size sacks collected by them. Giving a grand total of 63 sacks of litter in just over a month. Amazing!

 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.