And you didn’t let your borough down. You gritted your teeth, gripped your litter pick, grabbed your tabards – and got stuck in, collecting altogether more than 500 bags of litter.
Since the campaign was launched in March, more than 400 volunteers have taken part in 40 organised litter picks, although we suspect plenty more events went on that we don’t yet know about.
Wigan Council officers, schools, community groups, uniformed groups, local councillors, volunteers, businesses and Keep Britain Tidy staff were all involved during the six-week campaign. And we want to say a big thanks to you for all your hard work!
Here are just some of the many success stories:
Every little helps… and it’s our littl’uns who are leading by example.
The 12th Ince St William’s Brownies collected more than 10 bags of rubbish when they took part in a litter pick on Fosters Field play area in Ince.
The group also had lessons from the council’s Environmental Education Team before the big event to learn all about litter and how it affects their community.
Sally Wolstencroft, head of neighbourhood services at the council, says: “Our cleansing teams can only achieve so much in making our neighbourhoods cleaner and greener. The community Big Tidy Up events are making a huge difference, particularly on land that our teams don't maintain.
“We’re also sending out a strong message through our enforcement programme which last year led to more than 150 litter fixed penalties being issued.
“Those that get involved set a positive example, hopefully making irresponsible people who drop litter take a long, hard look at themselves.”
Community Spirit: We know from talking to residents in Winstanley and Highfield that litter is a priority issue.
So, as part of the Big Tidy Up, we organised a litter pick and collected more than 80 bags of rubbish!
Armed with litter pickers, gloves and bags, volunteers from Winstanley Highfield Community network together with local residents and officers from Wigan Council’s neighbourhoods teams, cleansing and environmental education, took to the streets in a military style clean-up operation.
The council’s Youth Offending Team invited a group of young people to get involved as part of their restorative justice programme, a system which allows them to make amends to their community.
Focussing their efforts on the footpath from Kelvin Grove to Worthington Way, the young people picked up litter, removed waste left by fly tippers and cut back overgrown greenery.
Pupil Power: Primary Schools across the borough have signed up to the Big Tidy Up art competition which invites pupils to make a robot from recycled materials.
Organiser Nick Deakin from the Waste Management team said: “We wanted to find a fun way of encouraging children to think of the impact litter has on the environment and the benefits of recycling.
“The pupil who makes the best robot will win £300 for their school. The competition is open to all primary schools.”
Older kids are also getting the chance to show off their creative talents with an opportunity to produce a 30 second film promoting the anti-litter message.
Big Tidy Up events will be taking place in our borough throughout the year.
For more information keep looking at Wigan Council’s website and the Big Tidy Up website – The Big Tidy Up (external link)
