The Great British Spring Clean is the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign, and there’s lots you can do to take part locally and make a difference.

You can invest as much or as little time as you want when the Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean return, from 21 March-6 April. It really is the taking part that counts.

By joining forces with other litter heroes, including the council’s street sweepers and cleaners and community volunteer groups like Litter Action Group for Ealing Residents, better known as LAGER Can, you can help to make an immediate difference to your neighbourhood.

Last year, LAGER Can members donated more than 15,600 volunteer-hours (equivalent to the work of 9 full-time employees) and removed at least 29,000 bags’ worth of rubbish and large items from the borough’s open spaces.

Members can work on their own, or as part of organised LAGER Can events, and in local neighbourhood groups working independently but with the support of LAGER Can.

‘We can make a huge difference’

For last year’s Great British Spring Clean, the group’s members removed the rubbish from all 11.5 miles of the Grand Union towpath within the borough. The year before, they cleared litter from every street in Greenford – and in Northolt and Southall the years before that. 

This year, LAGER Can is aiming to clean all 146 of the council’s parks and open spaces.

Cathy Swift, who runs the group, said: “It’s not about having to pick up 20 or 40 bags of rubbish, it’s about making a commitment to take part. Whether it’s clearing up litter in the street outside your house or picking up rubbish you see while you’re out walking the dog – our combined efforts can make a huge difference.”

Councillor Paul Driscoll, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, added: “We are so fortunate in the borough to have such a strong sense of community, where residents want to do something good for the environment and make our towns a more pleasant place for everyone. I for one will be taking part in some of this year’s activities. Who’s joining me?”

For more information or to become a LAGER Can member, email lagercan2020@gmail.com, or join its Facebook group.

For more information about the Great British Spring Clean, visit the Keep Britain Tidy website.

A marathon effort

Hanwell resident and LAGER Can member Deborah Dickey is running the London Marathon on 27 April to raise funds for the group.

Deborah previously ran the marathon in 2021, and secured her second ballot place to run in this year’s race.

She said: “I’m really lucky that I got a ballot place. I don’t have to raise money, but I couldn’t think of a better local organisation to raise money for. I have been involved with LAGER Can for quite a few years as a volunteer – not one of their biggest, but I’ve played my part in a small way.

“It takes a bit of people power to keep the borough clean. And, LAGER Can is just this amazing, positive force for good. I wanted my effort to really matter and make a difference, and it does when you are talking about a small organisation like this.”

Visit Deborah’s Just Giving page and watch the video.

Create a litter-pick event

If you want to arrange your own community litter-picking event, any time of year, the council can give you equipment to help you do this. You can also arrange for the bags to be collected when you have finished. Find out more on the council’s website.