Pupils rise to the #BigBagChallenge in aid of the Great British Spring Clean

Armed with litter grabbers and sacks, the litter-busting youngsters set about helping the environment by collecting litter, including crisp packets, drinks bottles, cans and sweet wrappers.

The Great British Spring Clean, Keep Britain Tidy’s annual flagship event to tidy up the country, takes place between 25 March to 10 April and invites individuals, families, communities, as well as schools, to pledge to pick up as much rubbish as they can during the fortnight as part of this year’s #BigBagChallenge.

The charity stresses that litter picking can be accessible to everybody with the right resources and that no one is too small to make a big difference.

Councillor Sid Phelps, Cabinet Member for Environment at Forest of Dean District Council, said: “The Great British Spring Clean presents a great opportunity to engage with our younger generations about the problem of litter not just here in the Forest of Dean, but about how it affects the environment on a global scale.  At best litter is unsightly but by far the largest problem is the threat it poses for wildlife and the damage it does to our ecosystems by the pollution it causes.

“The good news is that every bag really does make a difference. If every school-aged child in the district pledged to pick up just one bag of litter during the Great Big Spring Clean, along with the community groups already committed to taking part, it would have a hugely positive impact on our local area.” 

Emma Mignaud, Head Teacher at Primrose Hill C of E Primary Academy, said: “The pupils have had an enjoyable day hunting out litter in the local area and while at first glance there didn’t appear to be too much around, we were all surprised about how much litter actually lays hidden in the undergrowth. One crisp packet we found, although a little faded and tattered, was ten years old, probably having been dropped before most of the pupils taking part were born, which was very thought provoking. Taking part in the Great British Spring Clean has been a great opportunity to show students first-hand the problem of litter and we were all genuinely shocked at how long it lasts in our environment if left.”

The school’s bags of litter can now be counted towards Keep Britain Tidy’s Big Bag Challenge target.

To register for the #BigBagChallenge, go online at www.keepbritaintidy.org.

Local primary and secondary schools interested in hosting a litter pick or arranging a litter assembly supported by the District Council’s street warden team can get in touch by emailing: [email protected]. 

The Forest of Dean District Council will collect bags of litter to support those volunteers in the community wanting to take part in the nation’s biggest tidy up.

Individuals who pick litter using their own bags but who do have space to dispose of them in their refuse bin can request litter stickers.  Stickered sacks can then be put out on collection day, beside the refuse bin, for crews to collect.

Community groups who have a large amount of bags that cannot be taken home, can contact the Council to arrange a collection from a pre-arranged location.

To request stickers, litter bags or a collection, or to borrow litter pickers, email: [email protected]