"The Council has a limited budget to clean the streets and look after the upkeep of the District. We cannot be everywhere at once, so it is hugely encouraging that so many volunteers are prepared to support our efforts to keep the Cotswolds clean"
Scott Williams, the Waste Manager at Cotswold District Council
Cirencester, Gloucs., England: Litter-pickers across the Cotswolds are doing their bit this Spring to keep their towns and villages clean and tidy says the local authority for the area.
Cotswold District Council’s annual ‘Spring Clean’ event allows a range of community groups to get out and improve the appearance of their town or village by targeting known litter hot-spots.
Groups taking part collect crisp packets, food cartons, drink cans and other litter, and the Council helps out by providing free litter-picking tools, high-visibility tabards, gloves and litter sacks – and arranges for hundreds of sacks of rubbish to be collected afterwards.
Any events held in March and April and organized through the Council are also covered by its insurance, according to Cotswold Council. This provides community groups with an additional safeguard.
Cotswold says that by the end of March, nearly 500 people had volunteered to help the Spring Clean effort, including Scouts, parish councils, schools and church groups, in locations ranging from Tetbury in the south to Blockley in the north.
Further events are still being lined up across the Cotswolds until the end of April, with groups in Ampney Crusis, Winstone, Cherington and Withington among those set to play their part with litter-picking.
Scott Williams, the Waste Manager at Cotswold District Council, said:
“The involvement from community volunteers and members of the public to help out with the annual Spring Clean event is always greatly appreciated.
“The Council has a limited budget to clean the streets and look after the upkeep of the District. We cannot be everywhere at once, so it is hugely encouraging that so many volunteers are prepared to support our efforts to keep the Cotswolds clean.”
Further information
If you are planning a clean-up and would like to order bags and gloves, please contact Cotswold District Council’s waste department on 01285 623000 or email caroline.ballinger@cotswold.gov.uk