County backs clean-up mission
14 May 2021 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
The County Council is once again pledging its support as Keep Britain Tidy launches its annual Great British Spring Clean.
In the past 12 months, people have relied on the places close to home – the local park or beach – as somewhere to escape to, to exercise and to play.
Now the council is asking residents and community groups to help do their bit in a Covid-safe way and clear up the litter that can blight these places as part of its Great British Spring Clean.
The campaign, which runs from 28 May – 13 June, calls on the public to pledge to clean-up and help the charity achieve a million miles of litter-picking.
This year’s campaign comes as the charity has reported a massive increase in the number of people who have started litter-picking during the various lockdowns. It has seen the number of #LitterHeroes grow by a third in less than 12 months.
The Great British Spring Clean, now in its sixth year, brings together individuals, community organisations, businesses and councils to make a difference to the environment on our doorstep. In 2019, more than half a million #LitterHeroes collected just under a million bags of litter, weighing around 4,308 tons.
Greg Gavin, Head of Neighbourhood Services with Northumberland County Council, said: “We’ve always been a big supporter of this event and we know how much pride people have in keeping our county neat and tidy.
“This is going to be a bumper year for our tourism economy and we’re working with partners on our ‘Live it. Love it. Leave it unspoilt’ campaign to try and ensure the county is always looking its best while reminding visitors they also have their part to play in being responsible.
“This year due to Covid we’re not organising any events, but we are encouraging volunteers to borrow equipment from us for solo activity or use in small groups to litter pick their local area – whether it’s the local park, green space, countryside rights of way or just the local streets where they enjoy a regular walk.”
Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “The Great British Spring Clean would not be possible without the support of local authorities, including Northumberland County Council.
“We have all spent a lot more time in our local area in the past year and have come to realise just how important our local park or green space is for our mental and physical health.
“We need to care for these spaces and the Great British Spring Clean is an opportunity for everyone to take a small action that, collectively, can make a big difference.
“Whether you commit to do five minutes or five hours, every single pledge will help us reach our million-mile target and clear many tonnes of litter pollution from our environment.”