Nine Volunteers, 60 Sacks: Community Takes Action at Horsenden Hill

A small team of determined volunteers has made a big difference at one of Ealing borough’s best-known green spaces, collecting around 60 sacks of rubbish during a major clean-up around Horsenden Hill.

Just nine volunteers helped remove a remarkable amount of litter and dumped waste from the Horsenden Hill area during a community clean-up organised by LAGER Can and the North Greenford Residents’ Association.

The volunteers spent around three hours tackling rubbish and fly-tipping along Horsenden Lane North, beside the Grand Union Canal and around the woodland near Horsenden Hill.

By the end of the session, they had filled approximately 60 sacks and uncovered a collection of larger discarded items.

At a Glance

• Nine volunteers took part

• Around 60 sacks of rubbish were collected

• Volunteers spent approximately three hours cleaning the area

• The clean-up covered Horsenden Lane North and areas near the Grand Union Canal

• Larger dumped items were also discovered

• The volunteers came from LAGER Can and the North Greenford Residents’ Association

• The clean-up took place close to Horsenden Hill

• The area is one of the borough’s most important green spaces

Nine People Make a Big Difference

Sixty sacks of rubbish sounds like the work of a sizeable clean-up crew.

In reality, just nine volunteers were responsible.

Members of environmental volunteer group LAGER Can joined forces with the North Greenford Residents’ Association to tackle an area stretching from Horsenden Lane North towards the Grand Union Canal.

Working for around three hours, the group collected litter from the roadside, canal-side areas and woodland.

The amount eventually recovered demonstrates how quickly discarded waste can accumulate — but also how much difference a relatively small number of committed volunteers can make. 

More Than Everyday Litter

This was not simply a case of picking up bottles and food wrappers.

Volunteers also discovered larger items that had apparently been dumped in the area.

Among the rubbish reported were shopping trolleys, bicycle parts, discarded suitcases, children's toys and electrical items.

Waste was found in woodland as well as along the road and canal.

The variety of items highlights the difference between everyday littering and deliberate dumping, particularly when unwanted household objects end up in natural spaces. 

Looking After One of Ealing's Special Green Spaces

The location makes the volunteers' efforts particularly important.

Horsenden Hill is not simply another local park.

Rising to around 85 metres above sea level, it is the highest point in the London Borough of Ealing and provides extensive views across west London.

The wider site covers approximately 100 hectares and includes woodland, grassland, ponds and wetlands.

It is also designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, providing valuable habitats for wildlife within a heavily urbanised part of west London.

For local walkers, families, cyclists and nature lovers, Horsenden is one of the borough's most distinctive outdoor spaces.

Keeping the surrounding environment free from rubbish therefore benefits both wildlife and the thousands of people who use the area.

The Grand Union Canal Connection

Part of the clean-up took place close to the Grand Union Canal, another important feature of this part of the borough.

The canal passes along the eastern side of Horsenden Hill and forms part of a popular walking and cycling corridor through Perivale and Greenford.

Waste discarded close to waterways presents an additional environmental concern because lightweight rubbish and plastics can eventually enter the water.

Removing it before that happens is one of the less visible benefits of community litter-picking.

Who Are LAGER Can?

LAGER Can — the Litter Action Group for Ealing Residents — is a volunteer-led organisation that has become a familiar sight across the borough.

Its volunteers organise litter picks and tackle larger concentrations of dumped rubbish in streets, parks, waterways and other public spaces.

The group works across Ealing and has built a network of residents willing to give up their own time to improve their neighbourhoods.

The Horsenden Hill operation demonstrates the impact those partnerships can have when environmental volunteers work alongside established residents' groups. (lagercan.co.uk)

Community Action in Greenford and Perivale

Horsenden Hill occupies an interesting position between Greenford and Perivale, making it an important shared green space for residents of both areas.

That makes cooperation between local groups especially valuable.

The latest clean-up brought environmental volunteers together with members of the North Greenford Residents' Association, combining borough-wide experience with detailed knowledge of the local area.

And although 60 sacks is an impressive result, the longer-term aim is naturally to reduce the amount of rubbish that needs collecting in the first place.

Small Team, Big Result

Community volunteering can sometimes be difficult to quantify.

In this case, the numbers tell the story remarkably well:

Nine volunteers.

Three hours.

Around 60 sacks of rubbish.

Behind those figures is something equally important — residents choosing to spend part of their day looking after a public space that belongs to everyone.

Horsenden Hill is one of the natural treasures of the London Borough of Ealing.

Thanks to a small group of volunteers, one corner of it is now considerably cleaner.

Ealing Spotlight