Tidying up together!
Volunteer litter pickers are being urged to come forward and join an innovative new scheme to help keep Brighton & Hove’s parks and green spaces looking lovely.
Brighton & Hove City Council is setting up the Tidy Up Team - trained volunteers who pledge to spend some of their free time picking up litter in their local park.
The move follows successful litter picking events during last year’s Great British Spring Clean, which attracted dozens of enthusiastic volunteers from communities across the cities.
All Tidy Up Team volunteers will be fully trained and provided with equipment, materials and tools to collect and dispose of litter safely.
They will be supported by the council’s grounds maintenance and City Clean staff who work hard to keep the city’s green spaces and parks litter free.
The project is being co-ordinated by the council’s Rangers who came up with the idea after residents came out in force to support Great British Spring Clean events last year.
Around 70 volunteers have already signed up for the scheme and are undergoing training.
Volunteers are asked to spend at least 15 minutes each week picking up litter – there is no maximum time limit and volunteers are encouraged to spend as long as they like! They should also own a mobile phone and have access to email and the internet.
As well as carrying out their own litter picks in their local green spaces, volunteers can join organised monthly litter picks in some of the city’s most problematic areas. Forthcoming events include:
East Brighton Park – BIG Tidy Up Sunday 4 February from 11am
Three Cornered Copse - Great British Spring Clean Saturday 3 March from 10am
Brighton & Hove Way BIG Tidy Up - Stanmer Woods/Upper Lodges, Sunday 4 March, from 10am to 12 noon
Preston Park – #StreetsAhead/Tidy Up Team launch event Sunday 4 March at 11am
Victoria Park, Portslade – BIG Tidy Up Saturday 14 April
Tidy Up Team volunteers are also encouraged to set up their own litter pick events.
Cllr Gill Mitchell chair of the council’s environment committee said: “Our park rangers were inspired by the numbers of people who were willing to get stuck in and clean up their neighbourhoods as part of last year’s Great British Spring Clean.
“The Tidy Up teams aim is to build on that enthusiasm and good will to encourage others to get involved to help keep our beautiful parks and green spaces looking lovely all year round.”
Anyone interested in becoming a Tidy Up Team volunteer can visit the council website and fill in an online form. They will then be added to the waiting list for a training course.
Any questions should be emailed to city parks Cityparks.volunteers@brighton-hove.gov.uk or telephone 01273 292929.
Caption: Picture shows Tidy Up Team member Judy Richardson with bags of litter collected by 11 volunteers in Stanmer Park.