Latest news with #SarahParry
Times
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Times
Meet the hotshots hoping to clean up in the litter-picking world cup
Litter pickers can often be found in the park of a Sunday morning. But those gathered on east London's Hackney Marshes this weekened were more energetic than most. Around 60 enthusiasts armed with gloves, pickers and bin bags are competing to represent the UK in the world cup of SpoGomi, a Japanese-inspired litter-picking sport. Despite Japan's reputation for pristine streets, the British are the reigning champions. Defence of their title and plane tickets to the final in Tokyo were at stake. After the whistle was blown at 11.40am, the teams of three rushed off to rummage in the nearest hedges. Their task was seemingly simple: collect as much rubbish as they could within an hour. But as Sarah Parry, the UK's reigning champion, explained, it is far from straightforward.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘The sorest my legs have ever been': hordes to descend on Hackney for litter-picking world cup
Armed with gloves, metal tongs and plastic rubbish sacks, hordes of determined litter-pickers will descend on Hackney Marshes in east London this weekend. Spogomi, a Japanese litter-picking sport, has come to the UK. Invented in 2008, it was intended as a competition to encourage people to clean up public spaces. It is now played in schools across the country as people gamify collecting rubbish. Sarah Parry, a 29-year-old doctor from Glasgow, is part of the reigning world champion team. The British team beat the Japanese in Tokyo in 2023, the last time the competition was held, when she and her two teammates managed to bag 61lbs (28kg) more rubbish than the host country. The teams have 45 minutes to collect as much litter as possible, then 20 minutes to sort their litter. Teams are awarded points based on the type of litter and its recycling category. Parry is competitive and has run 33 marathons, so when she stumbled across this sport by chance after her brother saw an advertisement for it, she got a team together and signed up to go to Japan. 'We are not avid litter-picker-uppers in our free time – it was luck, competitiveness and enthusiasm more than anything else,' she said. Parry will be in Hackney picking up litter this Sunday, but is not allowed to compete officially because the winners of the previous competition are not allowed to win in consecutive years. She is just doing it to see how much litter she can bag up. Litter-picking may sound like a peaceful pursuit, but it can be strenuous. 'It is very physically difficult,' Parry said. 'I have run 33 marathons and the sorest my legs have ever been is after winning the Spogomi World Cup two years ago. 'It's a lot of very fast walking and you are carrying a lot of awkward-shaped items and using different muscle groups, and it's heavy litter and it was very hot in Tokyo when we competed. We collected over 50kg so you have to carry that between you while power-walking through a busy urban area.' Parry said spogomi was unlike any other sport: 'It is very fun. You don't often get the chance to play sport in a busy urban area where the people around you don't know or understand what you are doing and why you are so excited to spot a glass bottle.' But more seriously, she said, it drew attention to a very important issue: the blight of litter plaguing Britain's streets. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'It is shocking how much there is. We realised we are walking around constantly blind to this litter problem. When you notice it, it's all you can see. I see it everywhere now, I just constantly see litter. It just opens your eyes to it.' Though the sport was conceived in Japan, she says the country has far less of a litter problem than the UK: 'The UK is so much dirtier than Japan because I guess in Japan there is a very altruistic community where people care about their environment. They have more respect in their culture than they do in the UK.' Because of this, she hopes it can become a more popular sport in the UK so people start caring more about litter. 'It's a shame it's not a more well-known sport in the UK. I am somebody who didn't pick up litter before this and it now gets me into a different mindset of how I view litter. Thats what's really nice about the sport,' Parry said. 'What spogomi does is tap into people who aren't eco-minded, turns it into a game, makes it competitive. I pick up more litter than I did before.' Parry has some pointers for the competitors this year: 'My tips would be: taking it seriously, viewing it as a sport, being competitive and pushing yourself are important. If you are dawdling around picking up litter you're not going to win. Just because it's litter-picking doesn't mean you can't push your body physically.'
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘The sorest my legs have ever been': hordes to descend on Hackney for litter-picking world cup
Armed with gloves, metal tongs and plastic rubbish sacks, hordes of determined litter-pickers will descend on Hackney Marshes in east London this weekend. Spogomi, a Japanese litter-picking sport, has come to the UK. Invented in 2008, it was intended as a competition to encourage people to clean up public spaces. It is now played in schools across the country as people gamify collecting rubbish. Sarah Parry, a 29-year-old doctor from Glasgow, is part of the reigning world champion team. The British team beat the Japanese in Tokyo in 2023, the last time the competition was held, when she and her two teammates managed to bag 61lbs (28kg) more rubbish than the host country. The teams have 45 minutes to collect as much litter as possible, then 20 minutes to sort their litter. Teams are awarded points based on the type of litter and its recycling category. Parry is competitive and has run 33 marathons, so when she stumbled across this sport by chance after her brother saw an advertisement for it, she got a team together and signed up to go to Japan. 'We are not avid litter-picker-uppers in our free time – it was luck, competitiveness and enthusiasm more than anything else,' she said. Parry will be in Hackney picking up litter this Sunday, but is not allowed to compete officially because the winners of the previous competition are not allowed to win in consecutive years. She is just doing it to see how much litter she can bag up. Litter-picking may sound like a peaceful pursuit, but it can be strenuous. 'It is very physically difficult,' Parry said. 'I have run 33 marathons and the sorest my legs have ever been is after winning the Spogomi World Cup two years ago. 'It's a lot of very fast walking and you are carrying a lot of awkward-shaped items and using different muscle groups, and it's heavy litter and it was very hot in Tokyo when we competed. We collected over 50kg so you have to carry that between you while power-walking through a busy urban area.' Parry said spogomi was unlike any other sport: 'It is very fun. You don't often get the chance to play sport in a busy urban area where the people around you don't know or understand what you are doing and why you are so excited to spot a glass bottle.' But more seriously, she said, it drew attention to a very important issue: the blight of litter plaguing Britain's streets. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'It is shocking how much there is. We realised we are walking around constantly blind to this litter problem. When you notice it, it's all you can see. I see it everywhere now, I just constantly see litter. It just opens your eyes to it.' Though the sport was conceived in Japan, she says the country has far less of a litter problem than the UK: 'The UK is so much dirtier than Japan because I guess in Japan there is a very altruistic community where people care about their environment. They have more respect in their culture than they do in the UK.' Because of this, she hopes it can become a more popular sport in the UK so people start caring more about litter. 'It's a shame it's not a more well-known sport in the UK. I am somebody who didn't pick up litter before this and it now gets me into a different mindset of how I view litter. Thats what's really nice about the sport,' Parry said. 'What spogomi does is tap into people who aren't eco-minded, turns it into a game, makes it competitive. I pick up more litter than I did before.' Parry has some pointers for the competitors this year: 'My tips would be: taking it seriously, viewing it as a sport, being competitive and pushing yourself are important. If you are dawdling around picking up litter you're not going to win. Just because it's litter-picking doesn't mean you can't push your body physically.'
The Independent
02-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Red Roses unveil World Cup training squad as young guns given chance to impress
Young guns Millie David and Sarah Parry have been given an opportunity to stake a claim for Rugby World Cup selection after earning inclusion in the Red Roses training squad ahead of the tournament. The pair, who have both featured for England's Under 20s this year, are part of a 42-player group that assembled this week as John Mitchell 's side begin their preparations for their tilt at triumph on home soil. Wing David was one of the stars of the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) season for Bristol Bears, impressing with her pace and serious finishing skill, while centre Parry has established herself in the Harlequins first team. There is no place in the squad for experienced forward Sarah Beckett, who did not add to her 35 caps in the Women's Six Nations, but lock Cath O'Donnell returns from a long-term injury lay-off to bolster Mitchell's back five options and could press for a first cap in nearly two years. Mackenzie Carson (ankle), Ellie Kildunne (hamstring), Claudia MacDonald (knee) and Abbie Ward (toe) will continue their rehabilitation from injuries in camp, with none thought to be doubts for the tournament, which begins on 22 August. "We know how important and exciting 2025 is for women's rugby in England,' Mitchell said. 'Today is the start of little wins where we will work hard into the tournament.' The 42-player squad will be cut to 32 ahead of the tournament, with head coach Mitchell intending to name 18 forwards and 14 backs. England will spend the next two weeks at London Irish's former training centre at Hazelwood, and will also spend time at the Lensbury in Teddington and the Pennyhill Park training base ahead of the World Cup. A warm-weather camp in Treviso will be followed by warm-up fixtures against Spain in Leicester and France in Mont de Marsan as preparations intensify before the opening fixture against the United States at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. England, favourites for the tournament having lost in the final of the last two editions, also face Samoa and Australia in Group A. Red Roses World Cup training squad Forwards Zoe Aldcroft Lark Atkin-Davies Sarah Bern Hannah Botterman Georgia Brock Abi Burton May Campbell Mackenzie Carson Kelsey Clifford Amy Cokayne Maddie Feaunati Rosie Galligan Lizzie Hanlon Lilli Ives Campion Sadia Kabeya Alex Matthews Maud Muir Cath O'Donnell Marlie Packer Simi Pam Connie Powell Morwenna Talling Abbie Ward Backs Holly Aitchison Jess Breach Millie David Abby Dow Zoe Harrison Tatyana Heard Natasha Hunt Megan Jones Ellie Kildunne Claudia MacDonald Lucy Packer Sarah Parry Flo Robinson Helena Rowland Emily Scarratt Jade Shekells Emma Sing Mia Venner Ella Wyrwas
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
England continue home World Cup preparations by chasing Six Nations history
John Mitchell wants England to lay the foundations for their home World Cup by continuing to develop throughout the Guinness Women's Six Nations. The Red Roses are targeting an unprecedented eighth successive title and fourth consecutive Grand Slam when their Championship defence opens against Italy in York on March 23. Mitchell has freshened up his side by naming Zoe Aldcroft as captain in place of Marlie Packer, as well as adjusting other elements of England's set up in the hope of remaining at the summit of the game ahead of this summer's global tournament. 'We've definitely been a side over the years who have been attracted to consistency, so it's important that we continue to evolve,' Mitchell said at the tournament launch in London. 'We've looked at our culture and how that wins very, very strongly. We've made some tweaks in leadership and to the flow of the early part of our week. We've just got started on evolving our game and we certainly want to evolve. 'We'd like to put our opponents under different kinds of pressure as we go into this tournament and hopefully throughout the year we're able to consolidate and then take that into preparation for the home World Cup.' England are preparing for the Six Nations with a camp in Bristol and Mitchell has taken the opportunity to look at emerging talent, calling rookies Charlotte Fray, Jade Shekells, Sarah Parry and Millie David into his most recent squad. 'Experienced players definitely need the balance of youth, the enthusiasm, the energy and freshness that they bring,' Mitchell said. 'We've had youngsters like Millie David and Sarah Parry in this week and we've all had memories of entering international camps or teams for the first time – it can be quite confronting. 'But they've left after four days thinking that yes, they can become a Red Rose and that's really important. 'It's a credit to the culture as well that the girls have allowed them to be themselves. Cognitively they had to pick up a lot of knowledge, a lot of detail, but once we get going you can see that they're able to express themselves.' The Women's Six Nations is entering its fifth year in a standalone slot after the men's tournament when previously the events were run concurrently. Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm said: 'We enjoy the new window. It's made a big difference. Having a separate window allows us to get more media attention. 'People enjoy the Six Nations and they know it's not done after the men's tournament. The warmer weather helps as well, so we're not complaining about that.'
