Keep B’grove Beautiful

Tackling litter with local and national support

The issue of litter has become a lot worse in the UK during lockdown. The positive outcome of this has been an increase in media coverage of the issue, coupled with an increase in community action.

Local litter picking groups across the UK and solo pickers are using their daily exercise time to fight back against the litterers and show a sense of community pride in their local environment.

The 1100-plus members of Keep Bromsgrove Beautiful (KBB), the local community group set up in 2018, have continued to get out and make a difference during lockdown. As the rules are starting to relax, members are looking forward to carrying out group litter picks again (following Keep Britain Tidy, Council, and Government guidelines).

KBB are very excited to announce the launch of a website! Claire Wood from Spurwing Creative has designed and built the site, much to the delight of the group who invite you to take a look. The website will enable those not on Facebook to keep up with latest news and find out about upcoming events.

www.keepbromsgrovebeautiful.com

The monthly group litter picks will be starting up again on the last Saturday of every month, starting on 24 April. Events will be set up on the Facebook Group page where you can sign up to attend. Those not on Facebook are welcome to come along - just check the information on the new website and contact the team through that. There are Area Leads (who have a small set of equipment and organise the monthly picks) in Aston Fields, Sidemoor, Sanders Park, Stoke Prior, Stoke Heath/Rock Hill, Charford and Catshill. If you’d like to set up in your area, get in touch via the website.

KBB are proud to support Hereford Community Clean Up Group and BBC Hereford & Worcester’s #ProudToPick initiative. Four group members took part in a live radio report to launch and promote the initiative. Many community litter picking groups have joined together to spread the message, raise awareness and highlight the plight to our environment, wildlife and marine life caused by litter and fly tipping. Everyone can make a difference if we all chip in. Please help this #ProudToPick campaign and do a litter pick. Once you’ve completed your pick, post a photo or a short video/tik tok on your own social media and nominate five others to take the challenge too.

As a Keep Britain Tidy #LitterHeroes Ambassador, KBB’s founder Sarah Milburn will again be throwing the group’s support behind this year’s Great British Spring Clean which will take place between 28 May and 13 June. There will be extra litter picking events and initiatives during that period and the group hopes to get as much of the community involved as possible. Keep an eye on the Facebook group page, the website, and local media to see how you can join in.

To all those unsung solo #litterheroes out there, thank you for all you do! Anyone in the Bromsgrove District is welcome to record their litter picking endeavours via the website – just scroll down and click on ‘KBB Litter Pick Record’. Monthly totals are published to show how much positive impact is achieved by volunteers.

KBB’s founder Sarah Millburn said “We are so grateful for the support shown to the group and for the County Councillor funding which has enabled us to support so many projects. We are really looking forward to being able to start up all the exciting initiatives we wanted to put in place pre-COVID. If you are an individual or a business who wants to get involved in some way, just get in touch!”

Residents are encouraged to join the group page www.facebook.com/groups/ KeepBromsgroveBeautiful and get involved, or make contact through the website..