Taff Tidy: A world record-breaking project galvanising collective action to clean our waterways
The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) is proud to be supporting Taff Tidy, a project looking to inspire collective action and education about the dangers to our water system across Wales.
Taff Tidy will see a world record attempt take place as communities come together to clean up the River Taff on Friday 21 March 2025.
The WSA encourages all within the sport and leisure sector to come together and take part, taking action to combat water pollution which increasingly presents a constant threat to physical activity in our water systems.
Local residents, community groups, schools, organisations and businesses will all be present at different points along the River Taff as Taff Tidy aims to break the world record for largest river clean-up.
The campaign is the brainchild of Pontypridd-born World Champion triathlete, Kate Strong, working with freshwater expert and academic from Cardiff University, Dr Numair Masud, to raise awareness of the fragility of our water system and spark action across Wales to combat river pollution.
Kate was present at November’s WSA Sustainability in Sport Conference and discussed with great passion the importance of Taff Tidy – both now and for the future.
“Taff Tidy was born to bring together people to clean one river for one hour and set a new world record,” Kate stated.
“We know that one cleanup won’t change the world, but it will change how we see our impact within the world and with our legacy projects, enable more people to change their behaviours in protecting nature.
“Our rivers are vital ecosystems supporting diverse wildlife and also support recreational activities like paddleboarding, kayaking and swimming. Yet, the river’s health is under threat from residential, agricultural, industrial and other types of pollution. This, in turn, threatens not just our homes and sport, it also poses a threat to our livelihood and health.
“Taff Tidy is a reminder that we all can play a role in helping to positively change this narrative.”
Dr Masud added:
“The amount of water available versus humanity’s need for water is unbalanced, creating water insecurity in many parts of the world. Developed countries, like the UK, have greater access to clean water, compared to many developing countries where 17% of the global population face extreme water scarcity. This water injustice leads to people drinking dirty water which puts them at risk of waterborne diseases. Not only this but water insecurity can lead to lower levels of food production, and industrial outputs, leading to worldwide shortages.
“We want to educate people on the fragility of water security, to ensure people understand the widespread impact globally, not just locally. Climate change is affecting the amount of water available for human use – a real existential threat – so we all need to play our part in protecting our rivers and waterways.”
HUW JOHN, CARDIFF – [email protected]
The project and its build-up will aim to educate communities about water security protection in order to leave a lasting legacy that will protect our water system for generations to come.
“Our campaign is designed to raise awareness and inspire action about everyday choices affecting water quality,” Kate commented. “Simple changes like choosing eco-friendly cleaning products and reducing household water usage can make a big difference, yet the largest impact we can have is through supporting legislative change to make water protection the default, rather than an opt-in decision.”
A principal objective of Taff Tidy is to set clubs and organisations up for a successful, sustainable future. Kate envisages the campaign to have a legacy of a community and club blueprint which will be offered to all participating groups.
The blueprint will enable venues, clubs and groups to address subjects such as social inclusion, biodiversity protection, financial support, and risk mitigation.
This blueprint will intend to offer a variety of proven actions that members can easily implement. From reducing food waste to sharing kit, and from flood preparation to accessing available subsidies, your club will have the tools necessary to continue its sustainable journey beyond the Taff Tidy river clean-up.
The main event will take place on Friday 21 March, and the WSA urges NGBs of sport to take part and encourage their members to do so.
Taff Tidy will require volunteers at each location on the day, with a minimum of one Venue Manager, two Witnesses, two Timekeepers and one Steward per every 50 participants.
You can find full detail on these volunteer roles and location requirements here. All volunteers will have access to training beforehand, courtesy of Kate herself.
Participants will be able to support Taff Tidy in Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd, with the possibility of further locations being added.
The WSA looks forward to joining the campaign and cleaning the River Taff in Cardiff. We hope to see as many of our members there as possible!
For full detail on the project, visit Kate’s website here.
If you would like to be a part of this campaign as a sponsor, please view a sponsorship pack here and get in touch with the team!
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