More than 30 million tons of litter are discarded across the UK annually, causing visible eyesores in our communities, posing risks to wildlife, and incurring an estimated cost of £1 billion each year for cleanup efforts.
Fortunately, Keep Britain Tidy’s initiatives, the Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean, are making a comeback from March 13 to 29. Hundreds of thousands of individuals are expected to participate in these events to help beautify our neighborhoods.
Since its inception as a one-time event in 2016, a group of dedicated Litter Heroes have demonstrated their commitment by collecting over 4.5 million bags of trash from streets, parks, fields, riverbanks, and beaches across the country.
The Great British Spring Clean is scheduled for March 13-29. You can register at keepbritaintidy.org and commit to collecting as many bin bags as you wish, whether as a group, individual, or school. Simply provide your name, email, postcode, and the number of bags you plan to pick up.
Last year, nearly 400,000 volunteers participated in the annual cleanup, filling approximately 462,000 bags of litter. A survey revealed that 95% of participants believed their actions significantly improved their local surroundings.
Among this year’s advocates is civil servant Emdad Rahman, a Litter Hero Ambassador supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Emdad leads the Little Litter League, engaging young people and families in environmental stewardship through regular litter-picking sessions, emphasizing the importance of education in fostering lasting change.
Emdad is joined by fellow heroes like Sarah Drakes, sustainability manager at Nestlé Confectionery UK&I, who has been backing the Great British Spring Clean for six years. Sarah has organized litter-picking events with colleagues at Nestlé and is committed to minimizing the company’s packaging impact on the environment.
Long-term partners like KFC UK&I, Mars Wrigley, and others have been actively supporting the campaign, contributing to reductions in gum littering and fostering community care and cleanliness.
The Great British Spring Clean is an opportunity to contribute positively to your community. Pledge to collect a bag or more starting February 13 and join the ranks of passionate volunteers like Emdad who are making a difference in their local areas.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s CEO, expressed gratitude to volunteers for their dedication in removing millions of bags of litter, emphasizing the importance of collective action in combating litter issues.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, commended the volunteers for their efforts in safeguarding the environment, highlighting the significance of individual contributions in preserving nature.
The success of this year’s campaign is made possible by the support of People’s Postcode Lottery players, media partners, and collaborating organizations like KFC UK&I, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi Max, and Walkers.
The Great British Spring Clean initiative also includes Spring Clean Cymru in Wales (March 13-29) and Spring Clean Scotland in Scotland (March 13-April 24), aiming to engage communities across the UK in environmental protection and cleanliness.