390,000! You set new record for the Great British Spring Clean
Meet little litter heroes tackling grown-ups’ mess
... and as 140k pupils join in, Government pledges £9m cash for clean-ups
THE DAILY Mail’s Great British Spring Clean received a huge boost yesterday as it was revealed 144,711 schoolchildren have joined the campaign.
It brings the total of people signed up to the litter pick to 389,921.
The huge figure comes as the Government announces it will allocate £9.75 million to allow every council in the UK to support cleanups in their local areas.
The grants range from £194,000 for Birmingham, Britain’s biggest local authority, to £2,396 for the Isles of Scilly.
The Government said it wanted to make littering ‘culturallly unacceptable within a generation’.
Communities Secretary James Brokenshire MP said: ‘We know that communities care passionately about their streets and we’ve listened to local volunteer-led groups looking for extra support in their efforts to tackle the litter besmirching their beautiful boroughs.
‘The Daily Mail has led a fantastic drive in support of Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean campaign, and I am hugely grateful to all the readers who have signed up to join the war on litter.
‘I really hope that as many people as possible take part and support these brilliant efforts.’
The Great British Spring Clean organised by Keep Britain Tidy will begin next Friday, March 22, and run for a month until April 23.
The total is already more than the 370,000 who signed up for last year’s campaign, and takes us closer to the goal of signing up half a million people.
Events have been organised around the country. From Blakeney Point in Norfolk to Sutton Park in London, from the Isle of Wight to Derbyshire, the nation is gearing up for the biggest clean-up the land has ever seen.
The campaign has been backed by Prime Minister Theresa May, Prince William and TV stars including Mary Berry and Prue Leith.
Conservationists including Sir David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Bear Grylls have also voiced their support for the environmental clean-up.
And this week the president of the United Nations Environment Assembly, Siim Kiisler, commended the campaign for sending out a ‘strong message’ that littering is unacceptable.
Allison Ogden- Newton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: ‘Wow, a week to go before we kick off and a staggering 389,000 people have already volunteered to be part of our Great British Spring Clean.
‘ This overwhelming response shows just how important the campaign has become to people across the country.
‘ I am inspired by the next generation who seem crystal clear that they will do a better job of protecting their environment than we have.
‘ We are delighted that the Government has recognised the scale and importance of our Great British Spring Clean and has committed £9.75 million to help councils support our army of volunteers with equipment and training.
‘Our litter heroes’ inspirational efforts, backed by this investment, sends a clear message that enough is enough — we want to see parks, beaches, playgrounds and streets without litter pollution and are ready to make that happen.’
‘Wow! This response is overwhelming’