The Great British Spring Clean has been running since 2016, with more than 4.5 million bags of litter pledged to be collected during that time. It has grown into the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign.
Last year alone, four and a half million bags of litter were collected by thousands of dedicated Litter Heroes. By taking small individual actions, people across the country helped make a huge difference. More than 342,000 people took part, including 265,000 school pupils.
Litter affects us all. It blights our streets, parks and beaches and costs the public almost £1 billion every year to clear up. That is money that could otherwise be spent on improving services and supporting communities.
Research by Keep Britain Tidy also shows that litter often attracts more litter. When an area already has rubbish in it, people are more likely to add to it. This means that keeping places clean helps send a clear message that the community cares about its environment.
Litter can also have a wider impact. It can make neighbourhoods feel less welcoming, discourage visitors from returning and even affect local businesses that rely on people enjoying and spending time in the area.
Sometimes the environmental challenges we face can feel overwhelming. But when communities come together and take simple actions repeatedly, those small efforts build into something powerful.
The Great British Spring Clean is a chance for local authorities, organisations and residents to work together, celebrating the efforts of volunteers alongside the hard work of cleansing and environmental teams.
We want to play our part
Over the coming weeks, our teams will be out in your communities taking part in the Great British Spring Clean. At each event you’ll find members of our Resident Voice team, along with colleagues from our Neighbourhood and Estates team, including an estate ranger. At some events our Grounds Maintenance Cleansing team will also be joining us to help with the tidy-up.
We have picked locations that we don’t usually cover in our neighbourhood check-ins in the hope that we can reach even more of our communities.
In some areas we are also working with local councils to highlight the strength of community action. Just like you, we care about keeping our neighbourhoods clean, tidy and welcoming places to live.
If you see us while we’re out and about, please feel free to stop for a chat and let us know where the main litter issues are in your area. We’d really like to hear from you.
Where you can find us
- Location: Clements Estate, Haverhill
Date: Friday 13 March
Time: 9.30 – 11.30am - Location: The Vinefields, Bury St Edmunds
Date: Monday 16 March
Time: 1.30 – 3.30pm - Location: Rougham – Smithy Close
Date: Wednesday 18 March
Time: 9.30 – 11.30am - Location: Thetford – Nessa Close
Date: Thursday 19 March
Time: 10.30am – 1pm - Location: Bury St Edmunds – Ashwell Road
Date: Thursday 19 March
Time: 2 – 4pm - Location: Stowmarket – Wade House
Date: Monday 23 March
Time: 9.30 – 11.30am - Location: Mildenhall
Date: Tuesday 24 March
Time: 10am – 12pm - Location: Bury St Edmunds – Perry Barn Close and Britten Place
Date: Wednesday 25 March
Time: 9.30 – 11.30am - Location: Haverhill – York Road (Mossbank, Granchester and Canterbury)
Date: Friday 27 March
Time: 9.30 – 11.30am
Volunteers are very welcome to come along and help us on any of the days above. If you would like to join in, please make sure you bring your own litter picking equipment, including a litter picker, gloves and a high-visibility vest, so you can take part safely.
We are committed to it being not just about these dates. We hope the Great British Spring Clean inspires everyone to keep the momentum going, helping to create litter-free communities we can all feel proud of.
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