We are supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s Big Bag Challenge
One Bag - Big Difference
Eastleigh Borough Council is encouraging people to help clear up the litter in the Borough during the Great British Spring Clean 2022.
This year’s campaign, running from 25 March to 10 April, calls on families, neighbours, friends and colleagues to pledge to pick a bag of litter from nearby streets, beauty spots and beaches. As well as polluting our streets, parks and beaches, litter harms wildlife and costs the council money to clean up that could be spent on other services.
In a survey by Keep Britian Tidy of people who took part in 2021, 86% said volunteering helped improve their mood. More than half (52%) agreed it helped them meet new people and make friends, and a staggering 91% agreed they felt more pride in their local area after participating. Almost everybody surveyed (98%) agreed the campaign reduced the impact of litter on wildlife and the natural environment.
Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Rupert Kyrle, said: "During the pandemic we’ve gained a new appreciation of how important our outdoor spaces are to us.
“Litter picking is something that anyone can do and removing just one bag of litter helps our environment, improves our community and boosts our own mental health. If lots of people carry out this small action, it could make a huge difference to the places we live.
"Of course, litter only exists because a small minority of people thoughtlessly drop it. It's important that everyone takes responsibility for their waste and either puts it in a public bin or takes it home with them."
The Council is supporting the campaign by loaning litter pickers to groups and supplying free rubbish bags. Groups taking part can also liaise with our Street Scene team to arrange for the litter they have gathered to be collected and disposed of. If you think the Council could support your event, please email [email protected].
Pledge to get involved and support on social media with the hashtag #GBSpringClean and #BigBagChallenge.