York ‘Wombles’ help Keep Britain Tidy



Issued by City of York Council

City of York Council is joining forces with local ‘wombles’ to help Keep Britain Tidy.

During the first two weeks of February the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy identifies companies whose products are littered most across the country.

From fast food containers, to drink cans and sweets wrappers, they count the brands that create the most litter on our streets, in our parks or beside the water. This annual campaign is called England’s Great Litter Count.

This year, for the first time, Keep Britain Tidy has asked volunteers to help collect the most comprehensive information ever, tracking litter in more communities than ever before.

Volunteers who support the city’s Smarter York scheme are joining forces to help the campaign, which supports the aims of Smarter York by helping to keep neighbourhoods litter free, which in turn helps to protect and encourage the growth of local flora and fauna.

The Badger Hill Wombles will be out in force next week to count and collect the kinds of litter they see.

Volunteers are encouraged to then fill in a simple, on-line form so that Keep Britain Tidy can tabulate the results and let people know which brands contribute to the most litter.

Cllr David Levene, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: “This is a great fit with our Smarter York scheme – working with businesses to help promote the good work they are doing while supporting them to do more, getting residents involved in helping maintain their local area, and raising awareness of the harm litterers do.”

Two Badger Hill residents, John Nixon and Elisa Main, have formed the “Badger Hill Wombles” as part of a voluntary initiative to keep their estate clean and tidy.

They said: “litter in the streets brings neighbourhoods down, which is why we decided to meet weekly to pick up litter around Badger Hill. We also Womble on our own when we can.

“Our aim is to improve the environment and encourage everyone to keep their own areas tidy and also take their litter home with them when walking around the estate. We are regularly assisted by City of York Council but we encourage other residents in York to care for their environment – it’s a healthy and rewarding way of contributing to the local community.”

To find out more about Smarter York visit the website follow @smarteryork on Twitter or call 01904 551551

For more information about the Keep Britain Tidy campaign visit its website.


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