Rubbish Tips for Litter Volunteers!

20 May 2008

A new website, designed to promote and support local community action is being piloted in Mendip.

Mendip District Council is supporting the launch of a website, www.litteraction.org.uk, which will inform, support and offer advice to volunteer litter-collectors, who have, until now, gone largely unrecognised.

The website has been set up to recognise the hundreds of unsung heroes across the UK who give up their free time to pick up other people's rubbish. Formed by charity CleanupUK in conjunction with the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), www.litteraction.org.uk provides all the advice and information that a volunteer litter pick group needs in order to operate. There is also a facility for groups, at no cost to them, to run their own web page to keep its members informed of events and news.

Mendip District Council has pledged to help volunteers in the area by lending them equipment and arranging collection of the bags of litter that volunteers have filled up during their session.

Cathy Day, team leader in the council's street scene department, said "We are delighted to be involved with the local launch of the Litteraction website which will give our community-spirited volunteers the support they need and will make it easy for more people to volunteer.

"Last year we had a number of local groups who borrowed the council's equipment and held successful litter picks in Mendip. We would like to see even more groups coming forward to offer to help keep our district the cleanest in the UK."

The Environment Agency reports that the amount of rubbish dropped on our streets has increased by some 500% since the 1960's. It also says that dropped food and takeaway litter has helped swell the rat population to sixty million.

CleanupUK chief executive, George Monck, explained "The aim of CleanupUK is very simple - it will for the first time unite the estimated 3,000 existing volunteer collecting groups around the UK into an active movement and, by promoting a sense of fun, community and purpose among those who feel strongly about the litter issue, significantly increase the number of volunteers who collect litter. The Litteraction website now makes it simple for anyone to get involved in collecting litter which research has shown to be people's number one environmental concern."

If you would like to borrow the litter picking equipment, or want help and advice on combating litter problems in your local area please contact Martin Errington at Mendip District Council on 01749 648999.

Last Updated

02 June 2008

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Page last updated on 02 June 2008