Time for a Big Spring Clean

Renfrewshire’s Big Spring Clean is back for another year, with litter picks set to take place throughout March and April.

The Big Spring Clean, which is part of the council’s award-winning Team Up to Clean Up initiative, will run from 1 March to 30 April.

The campaign will see local people being supported to take part in litter picks across Renfrewshire to help make a positive impact on the local environment and encourage a change in attitudes towards littering, with the council providing volunteers with equipment, advice and clearing the collected rubbish afterwards.

Another key part of the campaign is engagement with local schools. Council officers will once again visit schools to speak to pupils about littering and the impact it can have on the environment.

Engagement with previous volunteers has shown a wider interest in the environment. In a new addition to this year’s programme there will be a series of Wildflower Planting sessions delivered by conservation volunteers. Three community workshops will take place in April, hosted by Evergreen Elderslie, the West End Growing Gounds Association and Renfrew Growing Grounds. Dates will be confirmed nearer the time and posted on the Team Up to Clean Up Facebook page.

Council officers have also been engaging with local businesses who are keen to support and participate in the Big Spring Clean. As a result, a series of litter pick events will take place at retail parks throughout the eight-week programme.

Previous events have seen thousands of people take part, last year around 3,500 litter picks took place with more than 5,300 volunteers participating.

Councillor Michelle Campbell, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “The Big Spring Clean is a great way for people to make a positive difference to where they live, and I’m always impressed by how many people come out to participate in this campaign each year.

“We have a dedicated group of volunteers who work with us throughout the year to make Renfrewshire a cleaner and more attractive place to live, but the Big Spring Clean offers an opportunity to broaden that group and get more people involved in taking an active role in improving their community.

“We know local people can make a real positive impact in changing peoples’ attitudes towards littering so please take part in the Big Spring Clean this year if you can. All you need to do is get in touch and we’ll provide you with everything you need and collect the rubbish too – it’s amazing the difference communities coming together can make to their local environment!”

To request equipment, call 0300 300 1375, email wardens.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk, join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/teamuptocleanup or visit the Council website at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/BigSpringClean.