Help keep Britain and your scheme tidy
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy is running their Great British Spring Clean campaign this month (15 March to 31 March), encouraging people to pick up litter in their neighbourhood.
Litter-picking is an easy activity to do, and it can make an immediate and visible difference to your scheme. You’ll also be helping to take care of our environment and the rising tide of waste in the world.
According to TheWorldCounts – an organisation created to raise awareness of important global challenges – the global amount of household waste in 2024 is already over 323 million tonnes and growing every second. By the time you’ve finished reading this sentence it would have grown some more. Take a look.
Many of those who took part in last year’s Great British Spring Clean campaign reported that litter-picking made them feel prouder of their community and improved their mood.
There are many voluntary groups and individuals who tirelessly work year-round to clean up our streets and green spaces, such as our Bradford tenant Jason Bunn.
Recycling champion
Jason, who is a wheelchair user, has been picking up litter where he lives for many years.
The 52-year-old says he’s out there with his litter bucket most days, often with his wife, Jennifer, also a wheelchair user, and other tenants on his scheme.
“The litter collecting needs doing, so I go out there and do it. Some people where I live can’t do it [due to their disabilities] so I do it for them,” he said.
Jason doesn’t just bin the litter, he separates it into different types for collection by the local council, so it can be recycled properly.
“Going out there every day makes a big difference to the scheme we live on,” he added. Jason and his wife Jennifer are pictured below, helping to sort recyclable litter they've collected on their scheme.
Become a litter picker
Everyone can take part in litter collecting and every contribution helps, whether it’s a few pieces, one bag or ten.
Your litter-picking equipment should include:
- a litter-picker,
- heavy-duty gloves and a bag for collection,
- hand sanitiser, at a minimum.
Many local authorities will lend individual items or kit to groups to help with their litter pick.
Keep Britain Tidy has a full list of do’s and don’ts you should follow when litter picking.To keep safe, please follow the rules,which include:
- avoid working on your own
- avoid picking up potentially hazardous items such as chemical containers.
Connect with others
Keep Britain Tidy has a Facebook group for litter-picking volunteers. You can find out about litter-picking events in your area and get advice and support on organising your own litter-pick.
Additionally, you can log your litter-pick using this Keep Britain Tidy’s form. The more data that’s collected, the greater the impact Keep Britain Tidy can have to influence the Government, businesses and the general public about the issue of litter.
To find out whether your scheme has a litter-picking volunteer group, speak to your Neighbourhood Team.
