The Thames and Me: a houseboat owner talks about the connection he has with the River Thames

The River Thames was once described by Battersea MP John Burns in 1929 as "liquid history", which was pretty spot on. There's no denying the important role the river has played in the development of London as we know it today.

However, this flowing historical document is under threat. The amount of litter entering the Thames is increasing - 300 tonnes of rubbish is cleared from it each year - and one charity has had enough.

Hubbub, a charity which focuses on sustainability issues and supported by the Port of London Authority, has launched a new campaign, ‘For Fish’s Sake’ (with the hashtag #FFSLDN) which it hopes will encourage Londoners to think more carefully about their litter and where it ends up.

As part of this campaign the charity has produced four short films focusing on individuals with a special connection to the river. The first episode, about a man who lives on the river, is available to watch above and the Standard will be publishing the other films in the coming weeks.

Simon has lived on a house boat for the past 11 years. “My son was born here; he's only ever known the river.”

The Thames has a special place in his heart, “it's just a tranquil place and a continually moving space.”

But “anything blowing around the streets, anything that's been fly-tipped, things go into it and they don't come out.”

New research has found that over half of Londoners admit to squeezing litter into bins that are clearly overflowing.

For Simon, “it's very, very noticeable where we are.”

When people litter, it will “remain in the river.”

The video ends with the campaign’s slogan, "for fish's sake London, don't drop litter." To find out more about the campaign click here.