Bingle inaugural winner

Paddle NSW care about the rivers, oceans and lakes they use. Their mission is to empower the paddling community to care for and improve the environment.

Last week they announced the first of the winners in the 2021 PNSW Annual Awards,starting with a new category - The Environment Award.

The first ever winner is Sutherland Shire Canoe Club member Robyn Bingle.

Robyn has incorporated environmental responsibility into the culture of her club , implementing an initiative whereby members pick up rubbish every time they go out training, dump it in a designated bin at the clubhouse, and then the rubbish is weighed and analysed and the data recorded on the Litter Stopper app.

This is creating awareness in the club about rubbish in the rivers, and instilling environmental responsibility.

Robyn also makes paddlers aware that every little bit counts, that you don't have to organise big clean up paddles (although the club does that too), and promotes #take3forthe sea as a simple way that everyone can contribute to cleaner waterways.

Robyn is also an active member of the PaddleNSW Environment Committee which started 14 months ago, sharing ideas and inspiration with other paddlers and contributing to environmental work on a state level.

The Paddle NSW Marathon Committee and the Sutherland Shire Canoe Club have also been working closely to identify a suitable date to run the Woronora stage of the 2021 Marathon Series.