TOWNSFOLK URGED TO JOIN UK-WIDE CAMPAIGN TO TAKE PRIDE IN OUR STREETS, PARKS AND PUBLIC PLACES

'WE HOPE THESE ACTIVITIES WILL LEAVE A LEGACY AND ECOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO REDUCE THEIR LITTER HABIT'

GROUPS and communities are gearing up for the Great British September Clean – and lovers of the land in Atherstone and North Warwickshire are being urged to get involved.

Keep Britain Tidy usually runs its big Spring Clean in March and around 680,000 volunteers had signed up to take part but, as with so many other things, Covid-19 meant that it couldn't go ahead – so it's taking place next week instead.

The 17-day campaign starts on Friday, September 11 and townsfolk are being encouraged to take action by cleaning up streets, parks and other public places.

The clean will work differently this year, but there are two options for anyone wanting to get involved:

• Organise a private clean-up with up to five members of your family and friends; or
• Pledge to do your own individual clean-up – even if you can only spare a few minutes.

The campaign comes as the local authority is facing a constant battle on environmental waste crime bespoiling the borough.

Each month North Warwickshire Borough Council clears around nine tonnes of litter and fly tips from public land and streets across the area.

The authority sees the campaign as a "great opportunity" to people to get out and about and do something positive.

A borough council statement added: "We hope that these activities will leave a legacy, that they will encourage more people to reduce their litter habit and prepare to stand together and declare that single-use plastic litter – which degrades the beauty of our environment and threatens to harm wildlife – is not acceptable."

It is offering local residents the loan of equipment to help – whether it is bin bags or pick up sticks.

But the council added: "You will have to hurry as our equipment supply is limited and they are only available on a first-come, first-served basis so please contact us as soon as possible."

The local authority can be contacted by email on [email protected].

To find out more about the GB September Clean campaign, which runs until Sunday, September 27, then click here .