Important:   Litter can be contaminated, so we have put together some information to help you handle it safely. Please click on this link to have a read through our Health and Safety Guidance before you go out litter-picking.

 

Brighter Uckfield Campaign (BUC Up)

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The Group operates under the aegis of the Town Council. Every Sunday morning, at 9.00, a small band of volunteers (open to anyone to attend) meets at the Civic Centre to conduct a 'swift-pick' in the worst-affected areas (finishing at about 11.00). The Campaign has moved onto taking small patches of public land in the town and overseeing planting out and maintenance. The town's annual beautiful gardens competition is organised by the Group. The Group joins the annual clear-up of the River Uck that flows through the town. Weeding pavements and cutting back undergrowth are also tasks that are taken on. Most of this work is concentrated on the town centre, but a network of 'litter pickers' is being gradually established on the estates around the town. Volunteers are provided with a hi-vi vest, a litter picking stick, gloves and refuse sacks - and we even have wheeled trolleys to take round with you to deal with the large amounts of litter on a Sunday morning. The Campaign has its own (Don't be a) "Mucky Duck" logo.

Brighter Uckfield Campaign (BUC Up)
336

Bags collected so far

3

Members

17

Years

7

Total number of events

upcoming Events

No upcoming events

past Events

Public General Meeting

This meeting is to be held in the Civic Centre, Uckfield, from 7.30pm. It is a 'relaunch' of the Campaign and the launch of a new Campaign logo. The Campaign will be loosening its ties with the Town C...

Uckfield Carnival clear-up

Uckfield Carnival, 3 September 2011 The High Street on the morning of 4 September was an horrendous sight. Bottles, cans and fast food containers all over the place. 4 BUC volunteers spent two-and-a-h...

Building painting

Continued from 17 July - please go to that date for details

Building painting

Commence work on a project to improve the look of the toilet building in Luxfords Car park and the former toilet block on the river bridge at the station. Meet at Luxfords Car Park from 9.00 a.m.. Exp...

Station Forecourt Gardens

To continue with the work to bring the gardens 'up to scratch'. Should be easier than the last time we did this because we've had a lot of rain recently! Meet at the station from 8.30 a.m.. Expected t...

Station Forecourt Gardens

A small team will be working at the railway station from 09.30am. The intention is to smarten up the areas that were set up as gardens. You can stay as long as you like, but I am sure everyone will ha...

Manor Park Estate Winter Clear-up

Meet outside Tesco Express, Browns Lane, Uckfield, at 9.30 a.m. to receive litter collection 'gear' and instructions from Town Councillor Thelma Rumbelow. Event will finish at 11.30 a.m. at the latest...

Nearby Groups

These groups are near to you in case you want to contact them for advice, to offer them support or, for example, to share equipment with them.

West Wight Litter Pickers
The Isle of Wight is one of the prettiest parts of the country - but some areas are scarred by litter. We hope to meet up for occasional litter picks of footpaths and beaches in the western half of our lovely island. Many hands make light work, so please join us and make a difference.
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Anstey Litterpickers
Anstey Litterpickers are simply fed up with the amount of discarded McDonalds and KFC wrappers, beer cans, fag packets etc thrown out of car windows along the lovely country roads around Anstey and Charnwood. We just want to do something about it!
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Friends of Thringstone
Who are we? We are an environmental group undertaking planting in our village, litter picks, promoting reduction in Co2 and smart driving, and working with the local community to make our village a litter free area. We deliver over 1700 newsletters around our village promoting our message and work with Thringstone Primary School and the local brownie group various events, including a scarecrow festival in June 2011 which brought together all sectors of the community . We held another scarecrow event, in conjunction with Thringstone Methodists, on Saturday 6th July 2013. Our chairman litter picks daily, and is helped by others who litter pick regularly. We try, where possible, to recycle items which can be recycled. We petitioned for extra recycling bins in our village and now have two tin and plastic bottle recycling points and a glass recycling point, and are currently asking for the council to consider ways of recycling acceptable items put in roadside litter bins. Between February 2013 and the end of February 2014, we removed 1,958 bags of litter from the village and woodlands, which we feel is a staggering amount. We have also worked with other groups on environmental issues in the village, and were part of the steering group that saw Thringstone Youth Club win the Children and Young People\\\\\\\'s Green Footprints Award in 2011 for their mural project. We have taken over several flowerbeds and previously untidy and unused areas in the village for planting and offer historical and environmental walks around the village. Please see our website which is www.friends-of-thringstone.org.uk for further details on our group, plus details on our constitution, health and safety policy, equal opportunities policy, parental consent statements and volunteer expenses statement. You can also see on that site details of all our publications. What have we done? In 2009 we won the NW Leicestershire Green Footprints Awards, were awarded an outstanding achievement certificate by East Midlands In Bloom in 2009, and won a gold and silver in the village achievement awards run by the Rural Community Council. In 2010 and were finalists in the Community and Partnerships category of the NWLDC\\\\\\\'s Green Footprints Awards and again in 2013. In 2011 we won The Queen\\\\\\\'s Award for Voluntary Service, something of which we are very proud, especially since 2011 was the European Year of Volunteering,. In 2015 we won the Big Tidy Award at the Keep Britain Tidy Jubilee Awards 2015. In 2021 we won the Leicestershire Live Environmental Heroes Award and also won the Community Organisation Award 2021 with Leicestershire Community Champions. We have a facebook page, and we are also on twitter - address is @Thringstone2. In 2019, our chairman was awarded a British Empire Medal for service to Thringstone and in September 2019, her dog, who accompanied her on all her litter picks, was awarded a commendation from the PDSA.
17907
20 years
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The Rudloe Mob
We are not really a group! We are a loose alliance! We started as dog walkers and photographers back in the 70s. I would be walking with our hound and stop to take a picture only to find that foreground rubbish had to be removed. This led to always taking bags for rubbish whenever I went out. For larger items (fly-tips etc) I would move them to a suitable roadside location and call the council who were (and are) very obliging. My “comrades” would do the same. This has been going on ever since (our last dog departed some years ago but the walking and photography continue).

My current (well actually for many years) “bete noire” is bagged dog crap. Twas quite funny, some years ago we had a serial crap flinger - it was everywhere: undergrowth, behind walls, brambles, trees etc. So, one weekend we decided to have a blitz on the stuff. We found about 250 bags in the undergrowth along Leafy Lane, over 100 in one location behind a dry stone wall and so on - a total of around 700 bags altogether. I was walking down my road with a bin bag of bagged dog crap over each shoulder when a neighbour stopped me and asked what I had in the bags! Since that time he and his wife have been inveterate litter pickers. The bagged dog crap problem continues. I have picked up about 30 in various locations over the past couple of weeks (this statement will be approximately true whenever you are reading this!). I used to think that this was just one halfwit on the loose, but it appears that this extraordinary behaviour is common practice. I believe (and I have written to Wilts CC about this) that the socially-acceptable practice of bagging dog crap, binning it and dumping it into landfill is an aberration. We have programmes on TV where ologists of various kinds look at ancient middens to find out how people lived. What will future ologists think of our society?

“Look - they used to wrap up their dog crap and bury it - how weird!”

Talking of weird, an odd incident occurred during my 23 Jan 2012 pick-up. I had a good bin-bag full of rubbish which I was attempting to stuff into the waste bin at Northleaze Mobile Home Park when one of a posse of locals shouted over “Oi - what do you think you’re doing?”. A small exchange ensued during which I explained that this was at least a weekly occurrence and I was tidying-up THEIR environment. But they were having none of it - “You can’t do that”, one said. I should say that this lady did offer to put the rubbish in her own bin but by this time the bin-bag was ripped and taking it out again would have seen the rubbish spilled on the ground. Anyway, their objection seemed to be one of possession - it was their bin! This would be fair enough if the bin was ever used but every time I deposit rubbish in that bin, it is empty (as it was on this occasion). It seems that they want theoretical of the bin without ever using it! Anyway my bin-bag was stuffed into the bin; the bin was emptied by the council the next morning and I stuffed a further bag of rubbish into it later that day. It is odd that no account is taken of rubbish lying in the street but clearance of that same rubbish invokes local disapproval!

Another anecdote - for many years, on Sunday mornings when out walking the dog, I would find an empty bottle of South African white wine (always South African) and an empty (70cl) bottle of vodka tightly knotted into a Tescos plastic bag in the lay-by in White Ennox Lane. What a wild time they must have had and what an interesting drive home.

The bizarre things you find when out collecting rubbish! Today, 25 Nov 2012, it was the “Bath & Wells Diocesan News”, No 264, December 1980 (see pic)! This was by the bus stop at the top of Box Hill. I can imagine the Bishop of Bath & Wells waiting for the bus in his vestments with his mitre and crosier (or is that Catholic bishops?) and unfortunately dropping his News on boarding the bus. One of the News items was the 1980 General Synod at which a major issue would be the ordination of women! Now, thirty-two years on, the Synod has been voting on women bishops. What a slow-moving organisation the C of E is!

By the way, the 20,000 or so bags picked up is an estimate, but probably a conservative one. My weekly pick-up is about 8 bags - 8x52x32(years) is about 13,000. I am, no doubt, doing a great disservice to the rest of the Mob in estimating their input as only 7,000 bags - watch out for the update.

The following table started in 2012, which I will try to update regularly, gives an idea of the scale of the ‘problem’.

1 Jan 2012: B3109, Skynet Drive, field edge 4+bags+mattress - called Wilts CC
2 Jan 2012: Leafy Lane, woods and playing fields, 5 bags
3 Jan 2012: Boxfields Road, Box Hill Common 3 bags+ fly tip - called Wilts CC
4 Jan 2012: Quarry Hill, 3 bags + bagged dog crap (BDC)
5 Jan 2012: B3109, A4 to Hare & Hounds 5 bags+ BDC (7 bags)
6 Jan 2012: Leafy Lane & A4 towards Corsham, 5 bags
7 Jan 2012: B3109, Skynet Drive, Park Lane, 4 bags+ BDC
8 Jan 2012: A4 towards Box, 2 bags
9 Jan 2012: B3109 & A4 towards Corsham, 4 bags
12 Jan 2012: Boxfields Road 1 bag+ small fly tip - called Wilts CC
16 Jan 2012: B3109 & A4 towards Corsham, 4 bags
17 Jan 2012: B3109, Skynet Drive, The Carriage Drive, Pound Mead, 7 bags
23 Jan 2012: B3109 & A4 towards Corsham, 3 bags + BDC
24 Jan 2012: B3109 & A4 towards Corsham, 2 bags
28 Jan 2012: Leafy Lane & B3109 from small Fiveways towards Corsham, 1 bag
7 Feb 2012: B3109 and A4 towards Corsham, 1 bag
8 Feb 2012: Leafy Lane and woodland, 2 bags
12 Feb 2012: A4 towards Box, 4 bags
13 Feb 2012: Rudloe Firs and A4 towards Corsham 10 bags (and still stuff remaining)
13 Feb 2012: (later) B3109, 2 bags
21 Feb 2012: B3109, 1 bag
23 Feb 2012: B3109, Leafy Lane, Leafy Lane Playing Fields, 14 bags

Okay, I guess you get the picture so with one month being very much like another I will discontinue the diary. This is a week-on-week, year-on-year occupation. The last pick-up listed above is instructive though - let me elaborate .. Leafy Lane Playing Fields is a 20 acre site at the south-eastern edge of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Its users include football clubs, cricket clubs etc but the principal user is AFC Corsham who do an outstanding job in providing opportunities for young people to play football. AFC Corsham runs 15 teams for youngsters between the ages of around 5 to 15/16. You can imagine therefore the number of youngsters provided for and the scores of parents who ferry their charges back and forth from home to ground and back. All fine BUT it appears that not one of the committee, managers and coaches, parents or others gives a hoot about the enormous piles of litter which are left to accumulate week after week. Rather than an AONB, Leafy Lane Playing Fields resembles a rubbish tip. The Rudloe Mob has an onslaught on the accumulation every couple of months or so. Of the 14 bags collected on 23rd February 2012, 10 came from the playing fields and this was just the tip of the iceberg (see photographs of some of what still remains). The state of the playing fields is, I believe, representative of the state of Britain. A 20-acre site frequented by a community of users who deposit rubbish then cheerfully wander through that same rubbish without giving it a second thought. With regard to litter, whether it is at community or national level, in general “we” couldn’t care less.

In the eighties “that cow” (as described by our local MP at the time, the 6th Earl of Kilmorey or Sir Richard Needham) appointed Richard Branson as the uncrowned king of litter - see this 2005 Guardian article on the subject https://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/sep/24/comment - but his campaign along with all others, like the long-established Keep Britain Tidy, failed or is failing. It is not good enough to have high-profile personalities, photo-shoots and high-salaried executives with meaningless job descriptions - take a look at the job description for the £40k plus Head of Communications and Marketing at Keep Britain Tidy:

OUTCOMES TO BE DELIVERED
*Implementation and delivery of the five year communications strategy and annual action plan
*Enhanced reputation of Keep Britain Tidy and its sub-brands
*Senior management feel supported through provision of strategic advice and guidance
*New income streams developed, for example, from behaviour change campaigns
*Stakeholders strategically managed and influenced
*Resources managed effectively within budget to meet to customer demand
*Visible leadership to the relevant communications teams as well as across the wider organisation
*Enhanced profile of the organisation with the relevant audiences
*Public membership scheme developed and successfully implemented, when agreed

Talk about Nero fiddling while Rome burns! We are drowning in a sea of rubbish! You can see the outcome of almost 60 years of Keep Britain Tidy in the small community area covered by this Litteraction webpage. YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND PICK UP RUBBISH -REGULARLY!
20750
55 years
View
Brighter Uckfield Campaign (BUC Up)
The Group operates under the aegis of the Town Council. Every Sunday morning, at 9.00, a small band of volunteers (open to anyone to attend) meets at the Civic Centre to conduct a 'swift-pick' in the worst-affected areas (finishing at about 11.00). The Campaign has moved onto taking small patches of public land in the town and overseeing planting out and maintenance. The town's annual beautiful gardens competition is organised by the Group. The Group joins the annual clear-up of the River Uck that flows through the town. Weeding pavements and cutting back undergrowth are also tasks that are taken on. Most of this work is concentrated on the town centre, but a network of 'litter pickers' is being gradually established on the estates around the town. Volunteers are provided with a hi-vi vest, a litter picking stick, gloves and refuse sacks - and we even have wheeled trolleys to take round with you to deal with the large amounts of litter on a Sunday morning. The Campaign has its own (Don't be a) "Mucky Duck" logo.
336
17 years
View
Broadstairs Town Team Ltd
We have come together to do positive things, where we can see ways we can help, to make our town even better than we already know it is. We love Broadstairs. We know that most of the people who live here do too and that visitors often fall in love with it from the moment they arrive. It's a great place. But nowhere is perfect and let's face it, if it was it would be boring. We're always thinking of new ideas of things we can do that will make a positive difference and address some of the issues and challenges our town faces. Our aim therefore : Make Broadstairs an even nicer place to work in, live in or visit.
0
12 years
View
The picker uppers
Starting from a group of two, and hoping to grow, the mantra is 'if it's being dropped, then it needs picking up' ...we are going to fulfil this task, and hope this encourages less dropping, and more picking! If you see rubbish, don't tell us, pick it up yourself!
5
11 years
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Winsford Community Cleanup
We aim to increase social responsibility within the town. We hope that by showing pride in the town it will inspire other people and residents to take ownership of the area in which they live. We are sick of fly tipping and litter and hope to make a positive impact on the town by becoming more action orientated!
2
14 years
View
Brighter Better Orrell
Aim to create a brighter and better Orrell in which to live and work. The area in Wigan is semi rural area and we litter pick the local streets, country lanes, fields and parks
0
4 years
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Marske Litter Action
Local people working to keep Marske-by-the-sea litter free. We organise regular beach clean ups and litter picking around our area. We have cabinets where you can borrow equipment to do your own litter pick at a time that suits you. Get in touch or join us at our next event if you want to help out! Events are advertised on our Facebook page - just search for Marske Litter Action or email us at marskelitteraction@hotmail.com
1878
17 years
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Start a LitterAction group

Here at CleanupUK, we want to help you to take LitterAction! Wherever you live in the UK, forming your own community litter-picking group will help to keep your community safer, more friendly and free of litter. It’s lots of fun too. Why not muck in and join us?

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