Over 30 million tons of litter get dropped in various parts of Britain annually. This litter not only negatively impacts the aesthetics of our communities but also poses a threat to wildlife and requires an estimated £1 billion each year for cleanup efforts.
Fortunately, the environmental organization Keep Britain Tidy is reintroducing its Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean campaigns on March 13-29. During this time, hundreds of thousands of individuals are expected to participate in efforts to enhance the cleanliness of our streets.
Since its inception as a one-time event in 2016, numerous Litter Heroes have demonstrated their commitment to their communities by collecting more than 4.5 million bags of trash from streets, parks, fields, riverbanks, and beaches across Britain.
The Great British Spring Clean is scheduled for March 13-29. Interested participants can register at keepbritaintidy.org and commit to collecting any quantity of bin bags they desire. Registration is open for individuals, groups, or schools, requiring basic information like name, email address, postcode, and the number of bags to be collected.
Last year, nearly 400,000 volunteers engaged in the annual litter pick, filling approximately 462,000 bags of rubbish. A survey among participants revealed that 95% believed their contributions significantly improved their local environment.
Among the advocates for this year’s campaign is civil servant Emdad Rahman, a Litter Hero Ambassador supported by the People’s Postcode Lottery. Emdad leads the Little Litter League, aiming to instill environmental pride in young people and families through regular litter-picking sessions.
In addition to Emdad, other dedicated individuals include Sarah Drakes, sustainability manager at Nestlé Confectionery UK&I, and Rob Edwards, an area coach at KFC UK&I, both actively supporting the Great British Spring Clean.
Moreover, Mars Wrigley has been a long-time supporter, funding the Chewing Gum Task Force to reduce gum litter nationwide, resulting in significant reductions in gum littering through their initiatives.
The Great British Spring Clean provides an opportunity for community members to make a positive impact by committing to clean up litter starting from February 13. Keep Britain Tidy’s CEO, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, expressed gratitude towards volunteers and highlighted the removal of millions of bags of litter due to their efforts.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, emphasized the importance of community involvement in protecting the environment, as demonstrated by volunteers across Britain.
This year’s campaign is made possible through the support of People’s Postcode Lottery, media partners, and collaborating partners including KFC UK&I, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi Max, and Walkers. Additionally, the initiative extends to Spring Clean Cymru in Wales from March 13-29 and Spring Clean Scotland from March 13 to April 24.