Lee Mack kicked up a right stink about shareholders taking priority over keeping sewage out of Windermere
Conservationist and Windermere native Matt Staniek founded Save Windermere in the face of an enormous and unsustainable increase in the amount of sewage flooding into the lake, as well as the effects of climate change and farming runoff – all of which are killing the fragile ecosystem.
On Monday, supporters gathered in the area to bring attention to the campaign – and they had help from some famous faces.
Some of the nation's best-known comedians are among campaigners warning of an ecological catastrophe at England's largest lake.
Steve Coogan and Lee Mack explain why they've joined forces with a campaign group to protest against untreated sewage which is discharged from storm… pic.twitter.com/mWwduC2Myj
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 29, 2023
Lee Mack laid out the stark facts.
“There’s too much poo literally in that lake.”
Comedian Lee Mack says water companies should not be paying out millions to shareholders when there’s sewage being discharged into places like Lake Windermere. pic.twitter.com/wAxWQqf0nj
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 29, 2023
“you can’t be making a profit, giving out £300 million to shareholders, when there’s so much poo in the water”
the brilliant Lee Mack joins protestors at Lake Windermere #C4News 🙌 pic.twitter.com/6SkFxDzNxN
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@mrdavemacleod) May 29, 2023
It was a very different performance from the Would I Lie to You? star – but it got a five-star rating from the viewers.
1.
What a fantastic event at Lake Windermere yesterday, huge well done to all of you for such a brilliant turnout.
Tip of the hat to @MattStaniek, Paul Whitehouse, @LeeMack, Steve Coogan, @Matthew_Wright et al, wish I could have been there. 👏👏👏 https://t.co/iXvKTHIo4L
— Feargal Sharkey (@Feargal_Sharkey) May 30, 2023
2.
People power at Lake Windermere pic.twitter.com/oxU1OnyiIK
— Prof Jamie Woodward (@Jamie_Woodward_) May 29, 2023
3.
A moment of levity in an otherwise dire situation. Steve Coogan, Lee Mack (+ daughter) and Paul Whitehouse head a rally against tons of excrement being dumped into Lake Windermere. pic.twitter.com/LVLoAMTaRT
— Gareth Bird (@garethbirddj) May 29, 2023
4.
300m to shareholders yet they expect us to pay to solve this!!. #water #Sewage #TorySewageParty https://t.co/SG0dEYUx1F
— Tony Henderson (@sonofthehender) May 29, 2023
5.
In 1990 the then agriculture minister John Selwyn Gummer pulled a daring stunt to prove UK beef was safe to eat, sharing a hamburger with his young daughter. I’d like to see Thérèse Coffey do the same with a nice tall glass of water straight out of Windermere. #TorySewageParty pic.twitter.com/IIVNdFyqd2
— Shaker #SaveOurNHS💙Education should be free #GTTO (@ShakerPainter) May 29, 2023
6.
This is very good campaign.
But remember that the water companies are doing what they are allowed to do by regulation implemented by the democratically elected government. https://t.co/ClHWFSPert
— Catio Miles 🌎 💫 🇺🇦 (@CatioMiles) May 30, 2023
7.
Coogan, Whitehouse and Lee Mack giving strong support to the Save Windermere campaign. #c4news Three of my favourite entertainers & comedians not afraid to tackle the disgusting outfits that deliberately put effluent and filth in our rivers and lakes. Where are the rest?
— Clapton Blues 💙 London E5 (@garyfoskett) May 29, 2023
8.
So very angry and sad to see this level of destruction happening to our beauty spots that are usually enjoyed by so many. 😡
Will they now ban the open water swim races that took place every year? If not, they should for health reasons to competitors. https://t.co/zT1CfysmOG— Anne Marie Devlin (@winny55) May 29, 2023
9.
No doubt paying out inflated & unjustified dividends isn’t actually a criminal offence.
But it should be! https://t.co/6e47b21JOb— Bocca della Verita #FBPE,#RejoinEU🇪🇺🇮🇪 (@BocaVerite) May 29, 2023
10.
£300m for shareholders.
£19m for clearing up the shit polluting our waterways.
Blindly obvious, the problem is shareholders being part of an essential service.
Profit before doing the right thing.#channel4news #c4news @unitedutilities #unitedutilities #windermere #Sewage
— Arthur 🇺🇦🇪🇺 🏳️🌈 🇹🇭 #FBPE (@SheldonB14) May 29, 2023
11.
There's a shit-hitting-the-fan joke in there somewhere, or isn't there… https://t.co/Flvs6Es8yf
— Amana Logov (@KakakTuluk) May 29, 2023
Here’s Matt Staniek’s recent explanation of the issue.
A simple message. Stop the sewage.
New website. New brand. New Film. We are here to stay.
Go to https://t.co/GwHB1Bgsmv to find out more about our campaign and what we are doing to end all sewage discharges into Windermere Lake.#LakeDistrict #savewindermere #sewage pic.twitter.com/fjhu7j42OC
— MattStaniek (@MattStaniek) April 17, 2023
You can find more information on the Save Windermere campaign here.
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Feargal Sharkey totally nailed the beach sewage scandal and it’s 2 minutes very well spent
Source Channel 4 Image Screengrab