100 councils pledge to join Mail’s f ight against litter

MORE than 100 councils are supporting the Great British Spring Clean as communities unite in the war on litter. Local authorities from Aberdeen to Cornwall have joined the push to tidy up Britain – and helped volunteer numbers hit six-figures.

As of last night, a remarkable 106,406 people had signed up for the Great British Spring Clean, which the Daily Mail is promoting in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy.

The army of volunteers recruited in just over three weeks is in part thanks to at least 102 councils who have promised to take part.

We are aiming to enlist half a million people to take to streets, beaches and parks to pick up litter between March 22 and April 23, in what should be the largest environmental event of the year.

Councils are urging their residents and schools to take part in communal litter picks, which, as well as tidying up local areas and helping native wildlife, can act as social events.

Authorities told the Mail yesterday that it was ‘inspiring’ to see communities working together, and many said that they would provide litterpicking equipment and encouraged residents to ‘make a difference’.

The council areas pledging support for this year’s event range from inner-city boroughs to those of outstanding natural beauty.

And yesterday, 250 mosques across Britain pledged to take part in street cleans on Sunday. Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: ‘Whatever faith or background you come from, care and cleanliness is a force that brings communities together.’

The initiative has been backed by some big names, including Theresa May, Sir David Attenborough, the RSPCA and the United Nations.

The Daily Mail has also highlighted the scourge of global plastic pollution with its Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign.