Dover District Council (DDC) is once again supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s nationwide Great British Spring Clean (GBSC) campaign — and is calling on local residents, schools, community groups and businesses to help tackle litter in the district.
The annual spring litter picking event officially begins next Friday, 13 March, and everyone is encouraged to make Britain cleaner and greener. Volunteers from across the district are urged to collect at least one bag of litter. Every bag makes a visible impact, and together we can help keep our towns, villages, parks and coastlines cleaner, greener and more enjoyable for everyone.
Now in its eleventh year, the Great British Spring Clean encourages people everywhere to show pride in their local area by rolling up their sleeves and taking positive action. As long-standing supporters of the campaign, DDC will once again be organising and coordinating events, and providing practical support to those who want to take part.
The Council currently spends around £1.5 million each year on street cleaning and regularly runs public campaigns promoting responsible waste disposal — including picking up after your dog, using local bins and taking litter home. Despite these efforts, Dover continues to see the impact of littering across the district.
Residents can:
- Join one of the pop-up litter-picking events happening across the district (see details below and on DDC website).
- Host their own community litter pick with equipment supplied by DDC. The council will arrange to pick up any rubbish that is collected.
DDC will be:
- Hosting a two-week litter picking tour across the district with our Community Roots van, supported by DDC’s environmental and community teams. Visitors can take part in litter picks, get involved in their local community and receive practical tips on reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling.
- Teaming up with our refuse, recycling and street cleaning contractors, Veolia Environmental Services to run a design competition for under-18s. Young residents will be invited to create a poster for a Veolia vehicle, encouraging others to “do the right thing and put their litter in the bin.”
- Opening nominations for the fifth annual REACH Awards (Recognising Environmental and Community Heroes), celebrating those who go above and beyond to protect our district.
Cllr Gordon Cowan, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services, said:
“Litter is something we all notice when we’re out enjoying our local area, and we continue to work hard with all our partners to tackle this. The Great British Spring Clean campaign allows us to highlight this issue, while recognising the ongoing efforts of the council, Veolia and the many volunteers who give their time to keep our area clean and welcoming. By taking part in the Great British Spring Clean, we can show the powerful difference we can make when we work together.”
More information on the GBSC campaign can be found at www.dover.gov.uk/GBSC and on the Keep Britain Tidy website www.keepbritaintidy.org
