Every year, over 30 million tonnes of litter are scattered throughout the UK, creating an unsightly problem in our communities, endangering wildlife, and costing around £1 billion annually to clean up. However, there is a positive initiative to combat this issue. Keep Britain Tidy is reintroducing the Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean from March 13-29. Hundreds of thousands of individuals will participate in these events to enhance the cleanliness of our streets.
Since its inception as a one-time occurrence in 2016, a group of dedicated Litter Heroes has demonstrated their commitment to their surroundings by committing to collecting over 4.5 million bags of trash from various locations such as streets, parks, fields, riverbanks, and beaches across Britain.
The Great British Spring Clean is scheduled for March 13-29. Enroll today at keepbritaintidy.org and declare the number of bin bags you intend to collect. Whether as an individual, a group, or a school, simply provide your name, email address, postcode, and the quantity of bags you plan to gather.
Last year, almost 400,000 volunteers engaged in the annual cleanup effort, filling approximately 462,000 bags with litter. A survey of participants revealed that 95% believed their contributions significantly enhanced their local environment.
Among this year’s advocates is civil servant Emdad Rahman, an influential Litter Hero Ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy, sponsored by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Emdad coordinates the Little Litter League, a program that motivates young people and families to appreciate and care for their surroundings by conducting regular litter-picking sessions.
He is joined by other heroes like Sarah Drakes, sustainability manager at Nestlé Confectionery UK&I, and Rob Edwards, an area coach at KFC UK&I, who have been dedicated supporters of the Great British Spring Clean for several years, aiming to reduce litter in their communities.
The Great British Spring Clean provides an opportunity for community members to make a positive impact by pledging to collect litter from February 13 onwards. Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, the CEO of Keep Britain Tidy, commended the efforts of volunteers like Emdad in cleaning up millions of bags of litter from public spaces.
Laura Chow, the head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, praised the volunteers for their commitment to safeguarding the environment. This year’s campaign is made possible by the support of various partners, including People’s Postcode Lottery, media partners Bauer Media Outdoor, Magic Radio, The Mirror, and collaborating partners like KFC UK&I, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi Max, and Walkers.