Does litter annoy you, especially where you live? You could join those residents already taking action. We spoke to Winnersh co-ordinator, David Baker, to find out more.
“We tend to get two types of littering,” said David. “There’s takeaway food and drink, such as wrappers and cans. People just drop them when they’ve finished.
“Then there’s carrier bags full of rubbish thrown from car windows. It’s ironic really. People clean out their cars and shove it all in a bag, only to dump it onto paths and verges.”
The 11 volunteers in the Winnersh group include people in their 20s to their 70s and represent a variety of occupations. There are more women than men, and also couples.
David first started picking up litter about six years ago, but then volunteered to co-ordinate the Winnersh group. He says with more local volunteers they could better target certain hotspots.
“Your environment cannot be underestimated,” he said. “If your neighbourhood is clean and tidy, people take more pride in it even if they’re just passing through.
“I do it because I want to. It cheers people up. Most say thank you although you always get a few moaners, which is silly. If you want to change something in society, do something about it.”
David tends to focus on a litter hotspot road near his home and goes out on Monday mornings for two hours. “That’s the beauty of this scheme. You do as little or as much as you want, but even a little makes a difference.
“There are residents not in our group who clean outside their homes. It’s all about community spirit.”
How does it work?
Email us, at the address below, to register your interest to join and we will give you a litter picker, high visibility vest and waste bags.
After that, you are ready to litter pick in your local area or street. Simply put out the litter you have collected alongside your normal weekly household rubbish. If you run out of bags, contact us and we will supply you with more.
We have many active groups across the Borough as well individuals taking part. During the past year, we’ve seen a 24% increase in families and children volunteering and we have given out some 1,700 bags meaning we now have more than 150 streets adopted by residents and community groups.
Get involved by emailing- community.engagement.localities@wokingham.gov.uk
