lp4

To walk and enjoy the beauty of the countryside, while making it even more beautiful as we clean up after others. In the age of microplastics no piece of [plastic] litter is too small.

From our official starting date of 17/6/17 we have grown to a point where we are now a fully constitued group, and have a busy and active committee of 11 people including myself as chair, our secretary, our treasurer and 8 other members including one of our local city councillors. We are officially recognised by Leeds City Council,and work with their approval and encouragement in the form of much assistance and advice the council's Parks Department. We have an online Facebook membership of just over 370 members, and fully expect this to grow as we develop a stronger presence in our community. As well as other conservation related work and activities, we have a regular Monday night litter park, and for this reason we woild like to request that we can become officially affilated to your campaign.u

I am retired and collect litter as an individual. I started litter picking when I was living in Small Heath and collected more than 1,750 bags over a three year period. I have now moved to Coseley, which is far less blighted by litter, but it is still about. I collect litter two or three times a week around Upper Ettingshall Road, Ivy House Lane, Shaw Road and roads and alleys leading from that area.

This estate clean up was organised by Matt Evans, Housing Officer of the area, and involved staff from the local Office, and contractors. The clean up involved clearing communal areas inside the flats, garages and the outside area. Going forward, it is hoped that a Residents Association will be formed, that will carry out litter picks and maybe start up a weekly gardening club.

Feel free to join me in picking up litter from time to time. Cleaning up the countryside one bag at a time.

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.

I litter pick around Ventnor where needed once a month. Details of venue are usually in the South Wight Chronicle if any one wishes to join me. I have one or two regular volunteers, together with my dog Pistache.

We are 2 like minded individuals who are looking to clean up our local area of West Haddon and beyond!

We organise a monthly volunteer litter pick in Royal Wootton Bassett. All equipment is provided, and has been kindly loaned by Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council.

Clean up the Alverstoke area and try to keep it clean. Please join the group to keep in touch. You are reminded that you take part at your own risk and are responsible for any children you bring along with you to our events. You should always use a litter picker or gloves.