A cleaner river starts here.
Riverkeep is a volunteer-powered charity pulling plastic, rubbish, and pollution from the River Calder — one stretch at a time.
Why the Calder needs us
The River Calder runs through the heart of West Yorkshire — through towns, fields, and communities that depend on it. Years of litter, agricultural runoff, and neglect have taken a heavy toll. Riverkeep organises regular clean-up days, monitors water quality, and works with local schools and businesses to restore the river's health for people and wildlife alike.
What a healthy river means
When the Calder thrives, so does everything around it. Our work touches wildlife, communities, and the next generation.
Returning Wildlife
Cleaner water brings back otters, kingfishers, and fish populations that have been absent for decades.
Community Pride
Clean riverbanks become places for walking, fishing, and play — not eyesores people walk away from.
Flood Resilience
Cleared channels and restored banks help water flow freely, reducing flood risk for homes and businesses downstream.
Education & Awareness
We run school visits and river-dipping sessions so the next generation grows up caring about local waterways.
How a clean-up works
We survey the stretch
Our team walks the section to map problem areas and arrange access with landowners.
Volunteers gather
We put out a call, supply gloves, bags, and litter pickers — you just show up.
We clean together
Teams work both banks, pulling out everything from crisp packets to old tyres.
Rubbish gets recorded
Every item is weighed and logged, building a picture of the river's health over time.
We need your hands
You don't need any experience — just a willingness to get a little muddy. Clean-up days run on weekends throughout the year, and we always need help in several ways:
- River clean-up crew
- Water quality monitoring
- Social media & photography
- Schools & education sessions
- Fundraising & events
- Data entry & admin support
Every pound goes to the river
We're an all-volunteer charity. Your donation pays for equipment, waste disposal, and outreach — nothing else.
Riverkeep is a registered charity. Donations may be eligible for Gift Aid.
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Ready to get involved?
Whether you want to volunteer, donate equipment, or just ask a question — we'd love to hear from you. Fill in the form and someone from the team will reply within a couple of days.