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.

 

Love Where You Live 2015

Unit One, The Swan Centre,Eastleigh,SO50 5SG

09 Jun 2015

23:00

We are working in conjunction with Angela Peters from the New Forest Rangers from the New Forest National Park Authority & The Blackwater Conservation Group. The plan is to pull out a plant called Himalayan Balsam from an area of river bank in the National Park. What is Himalayan Balsam? It is a non-native invasive plant. Simply put it’s a plant that in native to the West & Central Himalayas which was brought over to the UK in the early 19th century as a garden plant and was first recorded here in 1855. It was and still is popular with the general public .You may also hear it called Indian Balsam. It is a tall, attractive annual plant with explosive seed heads. It is easy to identify as an mature plant as it has a fleshy stem, pink-purple flowers and characteristic leaves. It can grow up to 2.5m tall in one season.

Where is it found? It is widespread in the UK especially along river banks and in damp woodland but it can also grow in any other damp habitat. So why are we going to be clearing it? As it grows so fast in just one season, it out grows most of our native plants and flowers meaning that it reduces their growth by two thirds. This means that when it completely dies back in winter it leaves the river banks bare which can lead to erosion. When it grows in such dense amounts it can stop the river flow increasing the likelihood of flooding during high rain fall. When are we doing this event? We are doing this event on Wednesday 10th June. We will meet Angela Peters, the New Forest Ranger at 10am at the arranged site. We will then be instructed about how to clear the plant and be told safety information. We will work for half a day finishing at around 1pm and will stop for a tea break as well. What should we wear? Dress appropriately for the weather, so if the forecast is for rain, bring a rain coat and waterproof trousers (if you have them.) If sun is forecast bring a hat and sun cream. Whatever the weather it is essential that you wear: long trousers/jeans, long sleeved top and wellies or walking boots Where the Balsam is located there are also brambles and stinging nettles so the long trousers/shirt will stop you getting stung and/or pricked! We also suggest that you bring a pair of gardening gloves (these can be bought cheaply from In Excess). They will provide gloves but they will have been worn by lots of other people….. What else should we know? There will be limited parking at the site so car share as much as possible. There will not be a public toilet nearby so be prepared to use the natural “facilities”. We met Angela Peters & the Blackwater Conservation Group at 10am at the arranged point. After a brief health & safety chat we walked to our picking destination for the day, a meadow overgrown with balsam. We worked together picking all of the balsam out by the roots(vital if it is to stop it re-growing) and placed them in piles to rot down naturally. We moved down the site picking as we went and managed to clear quite a wide area working together. After we had finished it was very satisfying to look back and see how much we had picked. It was worth it despite our sore backs and nettle stings!!.

upcoming Events

No upcoming events

past Events

Jersey Summer 2019

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2019.

Burley Litter Pick September 2017

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2017.

Minstead September 2017

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2017.

Bennett\'s Community Crew Does The Great British Spring Clean

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2017.

Great British Spring Clean 2017 - Swaythling

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2017.

Love Where You Live 2014

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

2014 Litter Picks

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

Work With Local Schools

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

The Big Park Challenge 2013

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

Recycling Project Christchurch

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

Bennett\'s Big Litter Relay

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

East Hampshire Events 2011

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

West Hampshire 2011

NB - These events are retrospective. We have had to add these events back to our page after the site was redesigned and all of our previous events were deleted. These events took place over 2011.

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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.

Stockbridge Scout Group
We are a rural Scout group comprising of beavers cubs and scouts totaling about 100 children plus adult volunteers. Age range 6 - 15 years old. We take from approximately 13 villages in and around the Stockbridge Area. We are passionate about working with educating the young people and teaching them how to enjoy the outdoors
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Park Gate Pickers
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Join our volunteer warden scheme, organising action within Worcestershire. We offer practical help and advice to volunteer wardens, who meet on a regular basis to exchange information and ideas on how to improve their neighbourhoods. Each litter warden is provided with a litter picker, gloves and refuse sacks. We encourage wardens to recycle the waste they collect; we also offer to dispose of any waste collected.
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Lady Bay Litter Pickers
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Holiday Homes
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Newburgh Litter Pickers
Newburgh village
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Compton Dando Parish
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Coventry Canal
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Long Melford Litter Pickers
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Sustainable Swaledale
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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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