In some clean-up locations, it is possible to request the PLA marine services team to provide cages for the litter clean-up. If you have requested a cage, we require it to be a filled a certain way to ensure the continued safety on the river.

Please adhere to the following guidelines when filling a PLA cage:

• Do not tie objects to the side of the basket(s)
• Do not fill the basket full with plastic waste (half full baskets only)
• Do not over fill basket so lids can’t close
• Do not undo any lifting chains/shackles on the baskets
• Do not disconnect the marker buoy connected to basket
• Ensure there are no objects protruding from the basket
• Ensure the basket lids are secured once closed
• Any black sacks of rubbish in the basket are split to allow trapped air to escape

Any large items (i.e. shopping trolleys or discarded bicycles) should be left and the location noted. On the ‘post-event’ information, the location and type of object discovered can be entered for marine services to collect.

Here’s what you’ll need to know to get started on the site.

Register Account

If you do not yet have an account, click here to register and enter your details. Soon after you’ll receive an email prompting you to create a password.

Once you’ve submitted your registration, your account will be reviewed and appropriate permissions will be provided. New accounts are given the most basic of permissions so you may need to wait shortly before full access is granted.

Please upload a copy of your foreshore permit and liability insurance. You will need these to be able to submit events to the website. If you do not currently have a foreshore permit, you can download an application form from the Getting Involved section of Cleaning the Thames.

Once you have been given admin permissions, you will be able to add events.

Logging-in

Head to cleaningthethames.pla.co.uk and select log in (scroll down to the lower left corner of the page). From there you will be able to login by entering your username and password to access the WordPress dashboard.

Viewing Events

Logging in as an event organiser will give a user the ‘contributor’ role. This allows them to have limited access to the backend of the website in which the default view lists their event taking place in the future. A user can view other events which are being organised through selecting between ‘mine’, ‘published’, ‘drafts’ and ‘pending’. The view can also be filtered with the dropdown to show to show future, past, all or events within a certain timeframe.

For events that the user is not the owner of, they can simply view it or duplicate it as a template for their own events:

For events that the user does own, there are more options available and most importantly selecting ‘edit’ to change the event’s information:

Adding a New Event

Selecting ‘add event’ will open up the form with fields to fill in as follows:

• Event name and event description (this allows for formatting, links, media, etc.), when the event will take place;
• When the event will take place and where the event will take place (More locations can be requested by using the link on the ‘All Locations’ page);
• Whether the event is public or private, the event’s current status, the pre-event information (Please see the guide for using PLA litter cages);
• There is post-event recording data that should be considered;
• Files such as a method statement should be uploaded pre-event. Then finally, you may submit the event for review for the PLA team.

Event Reviewed & Approved

Once your requested event has been approved by the PLA, you will receive a confirmation email and the event will go live on the site. If your event is public, the contact details you have entered will be visible to the general public. Attendees will contact you directly to join the litter pick.

Before the Event

At least three days before your event, please check that the method statement still holds all the correct information.

Final checks include:

• Consider the recent weather and forecasted weather for the event day
• Check the tides are as expected
• Has there been any recent rainfall or flooding?

After the Event

After the event you will receive an email reminder to enter the post-event data, for instance the actual attendance to the number of plastic straws collected. This information will be collected and used to report on the progress of the website.