Over 30 million tons of trash are discarded throughout the UK annually.
This not only mars the appearance of our neighborhoods but also negatively impacts wildlife and costs an estimated £1 billion each year for cleanup efforts.
Fortunately, the environmental organization Keep Britain Tidy is reintroducing its initiatives, the Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean, running from March 13 to 29, where once again hundreds of thousands of individuals will participate in beautifying our streets.
Originating as a one-time event in 2016, a group of Litter Heroes have demonstrated their commitment to their communities by committing to collecting over 4.5 million bags of trash from various locations like 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 trash bags you aim to gather.
You can register as a team, an individual, or a school. Simply provide your name, email, and postcode, and state the quantity of bags you intend to pick up.
Just last year, nearly 400,000 volunteers participated in the annual cleanup, filling around 462,000 bags of waste. According to a survey, 95% of the volunteers acknowledged the noticeable improvement in their local areas due to their efforts.
One of this year’s advocates is civil servant Emdad Rahman, one of Keep Britain Tidy’s 200 inspirational Litter Hero Ambassadors, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. He is also a prominent figure in the charity’s national promotional campaign for the Great British Spring Clean.
Emdad manages the Little Litter League, a program that encourages young individuals and families to take responsibility for the environment. He leads regular litter-picking events and emphasizes the importance of education in fostering lasting change.
“I have three children, and I want to teach them the impact of utilizing time effectively,” he expresses.
“I firmly believe that an individual can make a difference, and that is why I am involved in such activities. When you showcase your passion, it becomes contagious.
“Regarding litter, I believe that if we are the cause of the problem, we should be part of the solution.”
He is joined by other heroes like Sarah Drakes, sustainability manager at Nestlé Confectionery UK&I, who has supported the Great British Spring Clean for six years since the company joined the movement.
“During this period, I have coordinated employee litter-picking events with Keep Britain Tidy and raised awareness among colleagues at our York site,” she states.
“As a food and beverage company, our goal is to avoid any of our packaging ending up as litter or in landfills.”
KFC UK&I has been a steadfast partner for years. Throughout the five-year collaboration with Keep Britain Tidy, area coach Rob Edwards has ensured his teams engage in the annual Spring Clean, aiding in maintaining the cleanliness and care of communities surrounding KFC outlets.
Food conglomerate Mars Wrigley has also been supporting the movement for nearly a decade and funds the Chewing Gum Task Force, investing up to £10 million over five years to reduce gum litter nationwide.
The initiative has achieved reductions in gum littering of up to 86% through street cleaning and awareness campaigns.
The Great British Spring Clean offers a chance to contribute positively to your community, allowing you to commit to collecting a bag or more starting from February 13.
CEO of Keep Britain Tidy, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, commended the dedicated volunteers like Emdad for removing over four million bags of harmful litter from streets, parks, and beaches.
“We extend our gratitude to Litter Heroes nationwide for taking proactive steps to combat littering and demonstrating their care for their surroundings,” she expressed.
Head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, Laura Chow, added, “It is remarkable to witness volunteers actively safeguarding the local environment in communities across the UK, sending a powerful message that each of us can contribute to nature preservation.”
This year’s campaign is made possible by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery, media
