GOGREEN Masked Avengers tidying up our rivers

THERE have probably been a few double take moments along the riverbanks of Cardiff during the past few years.

Passers-by going about their business may have been greeted by the sight of a mystery person known as The Masked Avenger.

He or she – and a number of people perform the role – is on a mission to tidy up a blighted area as a member of Cardiff Rivers Group (CRG).

The caped crusader gets called out in response to a complaint from a member of the public about items like dumped supermarket trolleys or mattresses.

The Masked Avenger performs a very distinctive one-off role alongside the group activities of CRG, which lines up regular clean-up operations. Ahead of last weekend’s high-profile Uefa Champions League Final in Cardiff, members scoured the River Taff surrounds to help show the city in its finest light for the mass of visitors.

And their contribution has been such that a Keep Wales Tidy Environmental Volunteer of the Year Award followed last year.

That was reward for the efforts of people like Louise Tambini, who founded the group with four others in 2009.

“Now we have got over 400 people on our database,” she said.

“We love rivers – the Taff and Ely. We regard them as the green lung of Cardiff.”

And they feel they have got a duty to protect them.

“No-one has got a responsibility unless there is a flood hazard,” she said. “We tackle litter and waste on paths next to watercourses, remove rubbish from rivers, streams and ponds, clearing blockages and improve water flow. There is also habitat management, such as cutting back overhanging trees that collect waterborne debris and reduce light, and reducing invasive species like Himalayan balsam. We also lobby and consult with relevant bodies to improve the quality of the environment in South Wales.”

While the Masked Avenger is called out to tackle a particular small enough for an individual to handle, the group runs special events, often with upwards of 30 volunteers attending.

Next up on June 24 is clearing the Forest Farm feeder canal into the Taff at Whitchurch, with the clean-up planned for 1.45pm to 4pm.