North East Lincolnshire Council backs Keep Britain Tidy’s #BIGBAGCHALLENGE to help ‘spring clean’ Britain

One Bag – Big Difference: North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) supports residents pledging to pick one bag of litter for charity’s Great British Spring Clean campaign

NELC is today encouraging people to pledge to do their bit to clear up the litter that blights the borough during the Great British Spring Clean 2022.

Please let the Council know if you are planning a litter pick by completing the online form at www.nelincs.gov.uk/litter-picks. They can help with equipment loans and collection of the rubbish.

As part of the Great British Spring Clean 2022, Pyewipe RiverCare, a new community-led volunteer group supported by Keep Britain Tidy and Anglian Water, will be out in full force in the afternoon of Friday 8 April, clearing plastic pollution from the banks of the Humber Estuary. All equipment is provided and everybody is welcome to join.

RiverCare Programme Officer, Cate Holborn, said: “Alongside North East Lincolnshire Council, Humber Nature Partnership, and local businesses, we have formed Pyewipe RiverCare to look after the Humber Estuary, a unique and important habitat.

“River cleans like the one for the Great British Spring Clean will help to improve the area for people and for wildlife. It’s also great fun and a good way to meet new people who share a concern for the local environment.”

Anyone interested in joining the river clean should please contact Cate Holborn via email, at  [email protected].

Mass campaign

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.

The call to action comes as the charity 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, domestic pets and cattle, and costs the authority a staggering £1.5 million a year 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.

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 North East Lincolnshire 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 North East Lincolnshire 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 hashtag #GBSpringClean and #BigBagChallenge

And complete the online form at www.nelincs.gov.uk/litter-picks to let the Council know your plans.