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.
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.
Snow was forecast, and snow we got. Not the heavy downfall which came later, but regular flurries blown around by the bitingly cold wind. Amazingly 24 volunteers turned out to pick in this, together with two in the base team. We picked in eight of the nine areas of the parish (again: if only we had a few more volunteers). In total we collected 63 sacks; plus a large (and we mean large) number of car body parts, three hubcaps (which will come in useful - see later paragraph), two pornographic DVD cases (no DVDs!), and some household refuse including packaging addressed to a man living locally in Taunton (referred to the Borough Council - hopefully for prosecution). We also - again found lots of two litre and four litre milk cartons. No-one drives up into the Blackdown Hills to drink milk - we are sure they fell off recycling lorries and have written to Somerset Waste Partnership to ask them to take better care.
idVerde (TDBC contractor) had arranged for the roads in the parish to be cleared by a large (mechanical) roadsweeper, but gritting prior to the advancing snow put an early stop to that. Too cold for detailed sorting but (unsurprisingly) McDonalds topped the list of discarded food wrappings yet again (as they always do), and (yet again - as they always do) the Coca Cola Group topped the drinks cans and plastic bottles list. After two hours picking, back to the parish hall to warm up and partake of bacon/veggie rolls and hot drinks. And just enough time to award one of our volunteers a Blue Hub Cap and some chocolates (for completing 10 Picks).
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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.
An important part of our work is with young people. We have met with Junior schools, Brownies and Cubs, and talked about the reduction of litter and recycling.
We liaise with other environmental groups in the area, particularly those with similar aims to ours and we work closely with the local Borough Council.
We have a website:- www.sandbach-cleanteam.co.uk
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?
