A campaign of action to highlight the problems associated with littering around Peterborough will get under way this month and everybody is invited to get involved.
As part of the Great British Spring Clean taking place between March 13 - 29, Peterborough City Council and the Peterborough Litter Wombles (PLW), are holding organised litter picks across the city.
Following on from a successful similar campaign last year, when around 200 volunteers collected more than 500 bags of litter plus other items, it’s hoped that once again the litter picks will highlight the positive work carried out by the council and voluntary groups to tackle the problem, as well as encouraging more people to get rid of litter correctly.
The litter picks will start on Friday 13 March and run until Sunday 29 March. The events are being led by councillors, officers and PLW volunteers. There is no charge and all equipment including high-vis jackets and litter pickers will be provided. Litter pick venues include Boongate, Cardea, city centre, Dogsthorpe, Eye, Hampton, Hempsted, Newborough, Orton Goldhay, Park Farm and Paston. The full list of the litter picks taking place is below:
| Date | Time | Area | Start location |
| Fri 13 | 10am - 2pm | Paston | Newton Hall |
| Sat 14 | 10.30am | Eye | Manor Park Community Centre |
| Sun 15 | 10am | Orton Goldhay | Kinnears Walk, Goldhay Way end |
| Thu 19 | 2pm | Sand Martin House | Railway Sidings |
| Fri 20 | 10am - 2pm | Hempsted | Cook Avenue |
| Sat 21 | 1pm - 3.30pm | Green Back Yard | Lewis Project Abundance |
| Sun 22 | 10am | Hampton | Guelder Road Hampton |
| Wed 25 | 12.30pm | Dogsthorpe/Welland | Woodfield Park Community Centre |
| Fri 27 | 10am | Boongate | East Community Centre |
| Sat 28 | 10am | Park Farm | Park Farm Crescent |
| Sat 28 | 10.30am | Newborough | Newborough Community Centre |
| Sat 28 | 11am | Paston/Walton | Chadburn Centre |
| Sat 28 | 9am | Helpston | Helpston village shop |
| Sun 29 | 10am | Cardea | Sports pavilion |
Residents can turn up and attend any number of these events and ask any questions by contacting peterboroughwombles@gmail.com. Any changes or updates to this schedule will be published on the council's website and our social media channels.
Councillor Angus Ellis, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “This is another fantastic opportunity for everyone to come together and clean up litter around the city, so if you can spare a bit of time please join in, either as an individual, a group or as a business or school.
"We are fully committed to cleaning up litter and want to highlight that despite our best efforts and those of local voluntary groups, it continues to be a problem which everyone has a part to play in tackling.”
The council spends significant funds every year clearing up litter which could be spent on other essential services and exciting projects.
There is lots of helpful advice about litter disposal on the council’s website as well as information on how to report littering and fly-tipping.
For more information contact communications@peterborough.gov.uk or peterboroughwombles@gmail.com. You can also visit the the Peterborough Litter Wombles website or the Peterborough Litter Wombles Facebook group
PLW relies on donations for its funding and appreciate any contributions, which can be made via the funding section of their website.