Calderdale Council calls on people to get involved in battle to clear up litter across the borough

This year’s mass campaign, from 25 March to 10 April, calls on families, neighbours, friends and colleagues to join forces and pledge to pick a bag of litter from nearby streets, beauty spots and beaches in order to protect our vibrant communities and precious wildlife habitats.

In Calderdale, the Council’s Green Spaces and Street Scene team is holding a clean-up event on every day of the Great British Spring Clean, visiting one of the borough’s 17 wards each day from 10am. Everyone in the community is welcome to join in and equipment will be provided.

The national call to action comes as Keep Britain Tidy reveals taking eco action in the outdoors appears to be critical to the wellbeing of our communities, with significant benefits to people’s mental health.

In a survey of people who took part in 2021, 86% said volunteering helped improve their mood, up from up 79% in 2020.

More than half (52%) agreed it helped them meet new people and make friends, and a staggering 91% agreed they felt more pride in their local area after participating.

Almost everybody surveyed (98%) agreed the campaign reduced the impact of litter on wildlife and the natural environment.

As well as polluting our streets, parks and beaches, litter harms wildlife, pets and cattle, and costs taxpayers a significant amount of money to clean up.

The Great British Spring Clean, now in its seventh year, brings together individuals, community organisations, businesses and councils to make a difference to the environment on our doorstep - and the charity is keen to stress litter picking can be accessible to everybody with the right resources.

The charity reports a significant increase in the number of people litter picking in the great outdoors to help their mental wellbeing, following the additional pressures triggered by the pandemic.

Coun Jenny Lynn, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said: “We are proud of the work that Council teams, volunteers and local communities do all year round to keep Calderdale looking clean and beautiful.

“We know that many people want to do their bit to care for the environment, especially during the current climate emergency and since the pandemic began. During the Great British Spring Clean, we’re calling on the borough’s kindness and encouraging people to get together, get out in the great outdoors and be part of something that will make a big difference to where we live.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “In the past two years our outdoor spaces and places have mattered to us more than ever before as more people have embraced them during the pandemic – and with this we know local authorities like Calderdale Council have had an extra battle on their hands to keep them clean and green.

“During this year’s Great British Spring Clean, we are calling on everyone in Calderdale to harness the power of collective environmental action by taking on the #BigBagChallenge.

“Whether it’s pledging to pick just one bag, or more, we can all carry out small acts of kindness - for our planet and for ourselves.”

Pledge to get involved today at www.keepbritaintidy.org/gbspringclean and support us on social media with the hashtags #GBSpringClean and #BigBagChallenge.

List of clean-up events (all start at 10am) - 25/03/2022, Luddendenfoot, Kershaw

26/03/2022, Sowerby Bridge, Beech Rec, Sowerby Bridge

27/03/2022, Rastrick, Railway Street

28/03/2022, Ryburn, St Peter's Church, Sowerby

29/03/2022, Town, Ackroyd Park

30/03/2022, Elland, Morrisons

31/03/2022, Todmorden, Centre Vale Play Area

01/04/2022, Hipperholme & Lightcliffe, The Stray

02/04/2022, Greetland & Stainland, West View/Church Lane

03/04/2022, Skircoat, Arden Road

04/04/2022, Brighouse, St Martin's Church

05/04/2022, Ovenden, Shroggs Park (bottom entrance)

06/04/2022, Northowram & Shelf, Shelf Hall Park

07/04/2022, Mixenden, Library

08/04/2022, Calder, Gaddings Dam

09/04/2022, Park, Queens Road Neighbourhood

10/04/2022, Warley, Sandhall Lane/Gibbet Street