Plastic Fishing Tour Application Form Introduction We all know that plastic is a threat to our oceans when it isn’t disposed of properly, but the issue can often start much closer to home, with 80% of plastic in the waterways coming from land. Rubbish like this can be found in rivers and canals across the UK. 300 tonnes of rubbish are cleared just from the Thames each year, and a large proportion of it is plastic food and drink packaging. This litter is being eaten by birds, fish and other species – a 2018 study found that 32% of fish in the river Thames and river Clyde were found to have microplastics in their gut, harming wildlife and entering the food chain. Indeed, plastics have been found in fish we eat such as mussels and mackerel. In collaboration with the Daily Mirror and funded by the 5p cup charge from Starbucks, Hubbub is launching a new competition to help raise awareness about this issue. We’re looking for groups around the UK to win a visit from our Plastic Fishing boat to help collect litter from a local river or canal. One of these groups will then be selected to keep the Plastic Fishing boat to continue the fight against litter and raise local awareness.
What is plastic fishing? Hubbub and Canary Wharf College joined forces to launch Plastic Fishing in London’s Docklands. We built the world’s first recycled plastic boat, Poly-Mer - a 12-seater punt, based on a design that’s over a thousand years old, but using the most modern of materials - recycled plastic. The boat was built by Mark Edwards MBE, a Richmond-based boat builder who previously built the Queen’s barge, ‘Gloriana’. We use the boat to take people on Plastic Fishing trips, to fish plastic and other litter out of the water. The litter gets sorted on the shore and we use the recyclable plastic to build more boats, demonstrating the value of plastic when it is collected and recycled rather than littered. So far 950 people from local schools, businesses and community groups have been Plastic Fishing. Together 1280 PET bottles have been collected, that’s over 142 Kgs of plastic.
#PlasticFishing Registered Charity No. 1158700
The Plastic Fishing Tour Hubbub is now building a new Plastic Fishing boat, thanks to funds donated by the Starbucks 5p disposable coffee cup charge. We will be taking the boat on a tour around the UK with the aim of finding it a permanent home – could it be in your town or city? We’re looking for four enthusiastic and committed community organisations, charities or schools from within the UK, who are fed up with the rubbish in nearby waterways and want to make a positive difference to their community. Each of the four groups will win a week’s use of a Plastic Fishing boat. We’ll also provide support to help you to make the most of the week, spread the word and get all hands on deck (puns are 100% intended) for cleaning up your river or canal. One of the four locations will then be chosen as the permanent home for the Plastic Fishing boat, so you can carry on inspiring your community to keep the waterways clean and safe for wildlife.
Who can apply? If you are an individual who would like to see Plastic Fishing in your local area, please email us telling us a bit about your local waterway, who uses it, where it’s located, and any photos showing plastic pollution. You don’t need to complete the rest of this application form, but you’re welcome to forward to any local groups or organisations who might be interested. If you are a community organisation, charity or school within the UK and would like to win the Plastic Fishing boat as well as the week long tour, please complete the application form below. Before choosing the winning locations, we’ll want to be sure that you have: •
The right experience: interest in environmental issues and relevant experience in working to communicate and raise awareness in the local community.
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The right location: access to a suitable waterway and a place to store the boat.
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The right partners: to organise the trips, skipper the boat, and promote the trips.
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The ability to manage the logistics: insurance, measurement, press & social media.
But don’t worry if you don’t have all of that in place right now. Hubbub will support each community throughout the process from checking suitability of locations, through to organising and running the week of Plastic Fishing trips.
#PlasticFishing Registered Charity No. 1158700
Timeline End of January 2019
Deadline for entries: midnight on 25th January 2019
End June 2019
Feb – April 2019
Hubbub and winning locations plan the Plastic Fishing tour
End of February 2019 4 winning locations announced
Final winner announced and boat goes to its final home
April – May 2019
Plastic Fishing happens for 1 week in each winning location
Application form Thanks for your interest in the Plastic Fishing Tour, we’re delighted you’re keen to apply. Please complete the checklist below and fill in the short form to tell us a bit more about you, your community and why you think the boat should come to you. Please email this completed application form along with your photos to plasticfishing@hubbub.org.uk. Please use the subject ‘Plastic Fishing Tour Application – [insert your town/city here]’. If you have any questions or need some support with your application, just drop us an email to plasticfishing@hubbub.org.uk. We will contact shortlisted entries throughout February to check the criteria and suitability of the location, and the four winning locations will be notified by 28th February 2019. We may get in touch before then if we need any more information from you.
Checklist Essential for entry: Attached photos showing areas in your local water way that you think needs cleaning up. We’ll also need all of these in place for our winners, but don’t worry if you don’t have everything in place now as we can help with this. Yes Not yet already in in place place
Do you have….?
Registered organisation status (e.g. registered charity, social enterprise, community interest company) Somewhere suitable to store the boat (e.g. a boat house) Someone to organise and run the Plastic Fishing trips (including a skipper) Suitable water ways on which to run the trips (non-choppy water suitable for Plastic Fishing) Other local partners / community groups/businesses you could work with to organise, run and promote the trips
#PlasticFishing Registered Charity No. 1158700
Name:
Job title:
Email address:
Organisation:
Phone number:
Website:
Please tell us about your organisation, your interest in Plastic Fishing, and any previous relevant experience (max 200 words)
Please tell us about your area, and the waterway: where is it, who uses it, what evidence do you have that it has plastic pollution (max 100 words and please attach photos of the waterway)
Please tell us how you would promote the trips in your community, including other organisations you would partner with (max 100 words)
Please tell us why you should win the boat for 1 week (max 200 words)
#PlasticFishing Registered Charity No. 1158700