Published: Wednesday 26th May 2021 | 1.01pm
Cannock Chase leads the way as Keep Britain Tidy launches its Great British Spring Clean.
In the past 12 months, people have relied on the places close to home; the local park or the chase, as somewhere to escape to, to exercise and to play.
Now, Cannock Chase Council has pledged its support for Keep Britain Tidy’s annual campaign and is asking all its residents do their bit and clear up the litter that can blight these places as part of its Great British Spring Clean.
The campaign, which runs from 28 May – 13 June 2021, calls on the public to pledge to clean-up and help the charity achieve a million miles of litter-picking.
Councillor Justin Johnson, Portfolio Leader for the Environment and Climate Change said “We are very grateful that we already have many #LitterHeros in our communities of all ages, who do regular litter picks across the District.
“This campaign is a great initiative to get other people taking part are we’re asking all residents and community groups to get involved. Whether it’s taking a bag whilst walking or going to the park, every little helps Keep Britain Tidy reach their million-mile target. Keep Cannock Chase free of litter and improve our environment.
“If you would like to get involved in an organised litter pick, the Council can help by providing litter picking equipment and will collect the bags of rubbish you pick up.”
This year’s campaign comes as the charity has reported a massive increase in the number of people who have started litter-picking during the various lockdowns. It has seen the number of #LitterHeroes grow by a third in less than 12 months.
The Great British Spring Clean, now in its sixth year, brings together individuals, community organisations, businesses and councils to make a difference to the environment on our doorstep. In 2019, more than half a million #LitterHeroes collected just under a million bags of litter, weighing around 4,308 tons.
Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “The Great British Spring Clean would not be possible without the support of local authorities, including Cannock Chase Council.
“We have all spent a lot more time in our local area in the past year and have come to realise just how important our local park or green space is for our mental and physical health.
“We need to care for these spaces and the Great British Spring Clean is an opportunity for everyone to take a small action that, collectively, can make a big difference.
“Whether you commit to do five minutes or five hours, every single pledge will help us reach our million-mile target and clear many tonnes of litter pollution from our environment.”
If you would like to take part, contact the Council’s Street Cleansing team on 01543 462621 or email streetcleansing@cannockchasedc.gov.uk.
To find out more about the Great British Clean and how the Council is supporting this initiative, visit: www.keepbritaintidy.org/gbspringclean
#GBSpringClean #MillionMileMission