Staff at The Royal Star & Garter Home in High Wycombe have helped clean up a stretch of the Hughenden Stream as part of a community project.

They donned wellies to pick out bottles, crisp packets, cigarette ends and other rubbish from the part of the stream running behind the new care home, which will welcome its first residents this month (April).

The clean-up on Monday April 8 was part of the Chiltern Rangers and Thames Water River Wye Restoration Project, designed to return the several parts of the waterway to a condition which can be enjoyed by people and wildlife.

The Charity, which cares for ex-Servicemen and women and their partners living with disability or dementia, looks after the stretch of stream running adjacent to the Home.

Also taking part in the community clean-up were Chiltern Rangers volunteers, Hughenden Garden Village residents and Bucks New University. Together, 45 people filled up a skip full of rubbish. The Spindle & Thread pub provided free refreshments for all those taking part.

Home manager Chelle Daly said: “It was great to work with Chiltern Rangers and our neighbours to tidy up this beautiful stretch of water, for our residents and the whole community to enjoy.”

Chiltern Rangers’ mission is to enhance local habitats through conservation, education and community engagement. Paul Stack, Education and Community Engagement Manager at Chiltern Rangers, said: “It was a hugely successful community event. It was great to see everybody joining in and working together. This is only the start, we have more to do!”

Staff at The Royal Star & Garter Homes also worked with Chiltern Rangers and 60 school pupils to clean up a part of Hughenden Stream in 2016.