Litter Picking Community Hubs set up

This month we have created eleven litter picking hubs across Scotland by providing free litter picking equipment to support communities to tackle local litter issues.

The ten community groups are the first round of groups to become litter pick hubs in Scotland, with more following in the future. By creating the hubs, we are looking to empower communities who are frustrated by litter worsening during, and following the easing of, lockdown.

The funding for these Helping Hand Environmental litter kits has been provided by Coca Cola, and will see kits containing enough litter pickers, gloves, bag hoops and hi vis vests for up to ten people to take part in a litter pick at a time. Groups will also be able to access posters and social media content to help encourage people to look after their local places and keep Scotland beautiful.

Since lockdown restrictions have begun to ease, litter has become a more noticeable problem across Scotland. Our research shows that 30% of people* think that litter has got worse in their local area during lockdown. These kits will allow locals concerned by the issue in their area to tackle the problem.

Heather McLaughlin, one of our Campaign Officers commented:

“During lockdown, many of us spent time enjoying our local parks and green spaces. Lockdown showed us how important these areas are to our health and well-being. Unfortunately, a minority of people have behaved in an irresponsible and selfish manner, dropping their rubbish, leaving it for others to clean up and spoiling our beautiful country. These kits will help people to tackle litter in the areas they care about.

“We encourage anyone who lives near one of these kits to make use of it, particularly between 11 and 27 September, when we are supporting the Great British September Clean following the postponement of our Spring Clean campaign earlier this year due to the pandemic.”

Lisa Foster, Sustainable Packaging Manager, Coca-Cola European Partners, said: “We’re proud to be supporting the campaign for another year. The aim isn’t just to get people to pick up litter and look after public places; it’s about changing behaviour for the better, encouraging recycling, instilling a sense of local pride and inspiring future generations.

“Local parks and greenspace are so important to communities across the country, and while this year’s clean-up activity may look different to previous years with the absence of large-scale litter picks, the message remains the same – our outdoor spaces need to be preserved and protected.”

Kits have been given to the following groups:

Friockheim Park Community Group, Angus

Bute Wombles, Argyll and Bute

Roslin Men's Shed, Midlothian

Our Place Camelon and Tamfourhill, Falkirk

CLEAR Buckhaven & Methil, Fife

Yorkhill Green Spaces, Glasgow City

Nevis Landscape Partnership, Highland

West Kilbride Civic Society, North Ayrshire

Erskine Community Garden, Renfrewshire

Sea the Change, Scottish Borders

Riverside Community Council, Stirling

Find out how to get in touch with our hubs here. 

*All quoted statistics are from polling undertaken Mark Diffley Consultancy and Research using the Scotpulse online panel, on behalf of Keep Scotland Beautiful.