Volunteer James Mead, employed by Sheffield City Council, participates in river cleanup efforts organised by Riverlution, a community interest company partnering with the council to restore local waterways. A single session near Blonk Street removed approximately 20 bags of rubbish including food wrappers, bottles, cans, and discarded furniture, with Mead expressing hope that such efforts will cultivate community attachment to their surroundings.

Beyond simple litter removal, Riverlution addresses interconnected environmental and flood-risk challenges by managing invasive plant species and maintaining riverbanks, work that has earned the organisation the 2026 Ashden Award for Nature-Based Climate Solutions. With nearly 10,000 Sheffield properties currently exposed to flooding—a figure projected to exceed 18,000 if rainfall intensity continues to increase from climate change—the group's work combines ecological restoration with practical flood mitigation.