A campaign has been launched to clean up South Lakeland.
South Lakeland District Council is supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean from Friday until June 13.
This nationwide event is an ideal opportunity to roll up your sleeves and help clean up your corner of South Lakeland. It could be the street where you live, a nearby park or playground, or your favourite patch of countryside or coast.
During the pandemic, while everyone has been spending so much more time at home, the places on our doorstep have become more important to us than ever. You might want to pick a location that has really helped you through lockdown or somewhere that has been beneficial for your mental and physical health in this past year.
SLDC can support you by loaning equipment such as litter pickers, Hi Vis jackets and gloves, subject to availability, as well as supplying rubbish sacks and arranging for its street scene crews to collect the filled bags of rubbish afterwards.
This will be the fifth year the council has supported the clean. The aim for 2021 is the #MillionMileMission to clean up one million miles with help from #LitterHeroes such as volunteers, councils, charities and businesses.
Now that outdoor gatherings of up to 30 people are permitted, you can pledge to take part as a group or as an individual. To make a pledge and check the current health and safety guidance, visit www.keepbritaintidy.org
Dyan Jones, SLDC’s portfolio holder for climate action and biodiversity, said: “It is great to welcome back the GB Spring Clean for another year. Litter picking is a very worthwhile activity with many benefits, such as making where we live safer and more attractive; getting out and exercising in the fresh air; and feeling more connected to your community.
“As a council we are more than happy to help volunteers, and I would urge anybody to think seriously about taking part, whether with friends, neighbours, family, colleagues or on your own. It doesn’t need to take a long time. Just an hour or two can make a big difference.”
Cllr Jones continued: “One of the key themes in our council plan is addressing the climate emergency, and our ambition is a more beautiful, quieter and cleaner district leading the way to net-zero.
“Once the GB Spring Clean is over, we will be keeping the momentum going with our Clean Up South Lakeland campaign. The council will be rolling out some great initiatives over the summer as our teams work to keep South Lakeland litter-free, as well as inspiring residents and businesses to do their bit.”
If you would like to arrange to borrow litter picking kit or collection of filled rubbish bags, email: [email protected]
