© Danny LawsonJoanna Moseley is the first woman to paddleboard along the 162-mile Canal and River Trust Coast-to-Coast Trail (Danny Lawson/PA)
The first woman to paddle a 162-mile (261km) canoe trail from coast to coast has pledged her support to a campaign against plastic waste on waterways in England and Wales.
Joanna Moseley, 54, spent 11 days litter-picking from her board as she paddled, standing up, from Liverpool to Goole in East Yorkshire in summer 2019.
© Provided by PA MediaJoanna Moseley spent 11 days litter-picking from her board as she paddled, standing up, from Liverpool to Goole in East Yorkshire in summer 2019 (Danny Lawson/PA)
She now wants to encourage others to do the same and take part in the Canal & River Trust's Plastics Challenge.
The waterway and wellbeing charity, which looks after 2,000 miles (3,219km) of canals and rivers in England and Wales, launched the campaign after seeing a significant rise in littering in 2020.
It is asking people to combine litter-picking with exercise and to pick up just one piece of plastic every time they visit a canal or river.
© Provided by PA MediaJoanna Moseley said seeing plastic pollution on the canal had inspired her to litter-pick from her paddle-board (Danny Lawson/PA)
Ms Moseley, from Skipton, North Yorkshire, said: "When I started paddling on the canal and saw the plastic pollution, especially single-use plastic bottles, the obvious next step was to litter-pick from my paddle-board.
"I can't change the world but I can change the little bit around me - and that's what I am trying to do for our waterways and help encourage others to do the same."
She added: "Canals and rivers are such a source of joy and beauty.
"The beauty of the birdlife, history and community of people I met along the canal were a joy and lifted my soul."
© Provided by PA MediaJoanna Moseley said the birdlife, history and community of people she met along the canal were 'a joy' (Danny Lawson/PA)
Sean McGinley, regional director for Yorkshire and the North East at the Canal & River Trust, said: "If every person who walked, ran, cycled or paddled on their local canal or river took just one piece of plastic home with them, our waterways could be plastic-free within a year.
"We know how spending time by water helps us to relax and boost our feel-good factor. They are fantastic places to get away from life stresses and now, more than ever, we need to look after them."
The Plastics Challenge is being supported by a number of celebrities, including Bill Bailey, Deborah Meaden, Eamonn Holmes, Saira Khan, Helen Glover, Nicola Thorp and The Wombles.
- For more information about the Canal & River Trust's Plastics Challenge, visit https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/plasticschallenge