DDC's pop-up litter picking events happening across the district - all are welcome
Could you help us make a difference in your local community as we continue to work together to tackle litter in our district?
Dover District Council (DDC) is looking for volunteers to sign up for this year’s Great British Spring Clean campaign (GBSC) which officially starts mid-March.
The annual spring litter picking event, organised by Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) calls on everyone to come together and help to make Britain cleaner and greener.
Now in its ninth year, KBT is focusing on care for the local environment with the theme ‘The environment belongs to everyone’. DDC plans to support the campaign fortnight once again by rallying our own district’s volunteers and taking local action.
The council spends £1.5m each year on street cleansing and regularly runs local campaigns encouraging residents to pick up after their dog, use the local bins and take their rubbish home. Unfortunately, though, there are still some who don’t dispose of their litter responsibly.
DDC fully appreciates the efforts of local voluntary groups who offer their continued help and celebrates the majority of residents who do care.
KBT have put together a beginners’ guide to litter picking, which covers everything a ‘litter hero’ would need to get started. This includes choosing the right spot, keeping safe, knowing how to access bags and the necessary equipment and tips on how to organise their own litter picking event. The council will arrange to pick up any rubbish that is collected.
Residents can also join us at one of our pop-up litter picking events across the district.
We will be supporting the campaign with fun and educational games and competitions, encouraging participation in the LitterLotto and rewarding residents who support their local environment through our REACH Awards.
DDC will be:
- Hosting a two-week litter picking tour across the district with the Community Roots van. The environmental and community teams will be on hand with litter picking equipment, fun games to educate younger visitors and information to help residents reduce, reuse, repair and recycle
- Teaming up with our refuse, recycling and street cleansing contractor, Veolia Environmental Services, to host a design competition. Residents aged under 18 are being asked to get creative and design a Veolia vehicle poster that will encourage people to ‘do the right thing and put their litter in the bin’
- Launching our REACH (Recognising Environmental and Community Heroes) Awards for the third year, following a successful campaign over the last two years
Cllr Biggs, Cabinet member for Planning and Built Environment, said: “Littering is an ongoing problem for which we are continuously looking to find solutions. This campaign will highlight the work of the council, our contractors and regular volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a cleaner district that we can all be proud of.
“By encouraging even more residents to take part this year, we know that together we can make a big difference.”
Note to editors
More information on the GBSC campaign can be found at www.dover.gov.uk/GBSC and on the KBT website www.keepbritaintidy.org
Posted on 04 March 2024