Schools awarded prize for 'fantastic' litter picking

Eight schools have been awarded a prize for reducing littering in towns and parishes across Wiltshire.

As part of the Don’t Mess with Wiltshire campaign, which was introduced by Wiltshire Council last year, the pupils ditched the classroom and went litter picking in their local areas.

The winning schools, including Bishops Cannings CofE Primary School whose pupils spent more than 100 hours litter picking, have each received a new playground bin.

Nick Holder, cabinet member for highways, said the “volume of litter collected and the number of hours that have been donated to this cause is fantastic”.

A total of 51 schools from around the county participated in the Great Big School Clean.

The Don’t Mess with Wiltshire campaign was set up in February 2023 and is supported by several litter picking groups across Wiltshire.

Between the community groups and the schools, volunteers have so far collected almost 10 tonnes of litter in around 1,100 hours, which equates to roughly one and a half months of working day and night.

Mr Holder called litter a “blight on the beautiful landscapes in Wiltshire” and continued to stress its risk to wildlife and the environment.

He added: “If we can encourage more people to help us in the fight against litter, we can spend the money we spend on clearing up litter, currently around £2m per year, on other essential services instead."

The council has promised to continue its regular litter collections along the county’s roads but is hoping the campaign will educate the public about different ways of responsible litter disposal, such as using bins or taking their rubbish home.

Mr Holder has called upon residents to take responsibility for the local landscapes and concluded: “It would be better if the litter wasn’t there to collect in the first place”.

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