Paddington Prepares for Earth Month 2026
This April, we are inviting our BID members to join us at a series of free, hands-on events to mark Earth Month and enhance the green and blue spaces on our doorstep.
We will launch our popular GoBoat canal cleans for 2026 as part of Earth Month, give those with a sense of adventure the chance to paddle whilst they pick and offer opportunities for teams to join community-based litter picks on dry land.
Earth Month is a global initiative to spotlight the importance of environmental awareness and sustainability. All the details for our events in Paddington during Earth Month can be found below, with links to sign up.
Wednesday 15 April- Pick & Paddle with Paddleboarding London
In partnership with Paddleboarding London, we are offering Grand Union BID members the unique opportunity to enhance the immediate local environment, exercise and learn a new skill; all whilst enjoying one of London’s most scenic stretches of canal.
From paddleboards it is much easier to reach the microplastics often missed by the GoBoat canal cleans and Estate Teams, as you are more mobile and closer to the water. All volunteers will be supported by qualified paddleboarding coaches throughout and all equipment, including buoyancy aids, will be provided. No prior paddleboarding experience is needed.
Date: Wednesday 15 April
Session times: 12noon – 1:30pm and 2:30pm – 4pm
This event is open to individual colleagues and teams of volunteers.
Thursday 16 April – Community Litter Pick in Church Street
For those who prefer to keep their feet firmly on dry land, we’d love you to join our multi-company community clean-up in Church Street on Thursday 16 April, organised in partnership with Westminster City Council.
Just five minutes’ walk from Paddington Basin, Church Street is a vibrant community. The main street is filled with daily market stalls and it is an area currently undergoing extensive redevelopment works.
We are looking for colleagues to join forces to give the area a true spring clean and enhance the work already done by the area’s street and cleaning teams. You will be equipped with litter pickers and rubbish sacks and tasked with clearing walkways and improving public green spaces. All you need are comfortable shoes for walking and plenty of enthusiasm to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.
Date: Thursday 16 April
Session times: 10am – 11.30am, 12noon – 1.30pm and 2.30pm – 4pm
This event is open to individual colleagues and teams of volunteers.
Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 April — GoBoat Canal Clean‑Ups
Back by popular demand! For the fourth-year running, we are working with our friends at GoBoat London to celebrate Earth Month. We’re inviting Grand Union BID members to join us across two dates, including Earth Day itself on 22 April, armed with trusty litter pickers and remove plastic pollution from the canal as they travel by GoBoat.
These popular sessions offer a fun, team building activity, while helping to protect Paddington's waterway.
Date: Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 April
Session times: 9.30am – 11.30am, 12noon – 2pm and 3pm – 5pm
This event is open to teams of colleagues. Each boat has capacity for up to eight colleagues to take part, including a volunteer driver.
Due to this event’s popularity and to enable as many of our BID members to take part as possible, we will initially be offering each BID member company one Earth Day GoBoat. From Wednesday 1 April we will allocate any remaining boats to those teams on our waiting list.
If our event dates don’t work for you, please do get in touch and say hello. We run environmental projects and litter picks throughout the spring and summer and would be happy to talk to you about other opportunities.
We’ll be keeping everything crossed for sunshine and can’t wait to meet all our litter heroes in April!