Gloucestershire College students down tools to support this year’s Great British Spring Clean

Supported by staff from Forestry England and the District Council’s Street Warden team, the Gloscol students set off for a litter pick around the lake at Steam Mills and adjoining forestry tracks to collect litter in aid of this year’s Great British Spring Clean (15-31 March). 

The campaign is the flagship event of Keep Britain Tidy and encourages people up and down the country to tidy up their neighbourhoods and open spaces to protect the environment. 

Damion Collins, Community Safety Delivery Lead at Forest of Dean District Council, said: “There has been an amazing response to this year’s Great British Spring Clean by our communities, with individuals, groups and schools all coming forward to take part in the nation’s largest tidy up. In recognition of this, and to help all volunteers litter pick safely, the Council is again supplying litter-grabbers, hi-vis vests, sacks and gloves to anyone who needs them, as well as picking up bags of collected litter.” 

Sophie Bowkett, Student Mentor at Gloucestershire College, who accompanied the students on their litter pick, said: “As a college, we encourage all students to take part in a social action project during their time with us and we’ve been delighted to join others in the district taking part in this year’s Spring Clean, to care for our local environment. Taking part in projects like this one provides so many positive benefits, from helping students feel part of a team, to connecting them to their own local communities and giving them the opportunity to enjoy experiences outside of their day-to-day studies.” 

Primary and secondary schools or youth groups interested in hosting a litter pick or arranging a litter talk supported by the Council’s Street Wardens can get in touch at: [email protected].  

Residents or community groups wanting to borrow litter picking kit, book a collection of bags or request litter stickers to put on their own sacks, which can then be presented beside the normal refuse bin, can email the Forest of Dean District Council at: [email protected]. 

The Great British Spring Clean, spearheaded by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy is billed as the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign.  

Last year, UK residents pledged to pick up 400,000 bags of litter.  

Anyone wishing to take part in this year’s Great British Spring Clean event can find out more and pledge their support at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean