Wiltshire Council and Idverde are asking community groups and schools around the county to take part in the Great British Spring Clean this spring. 

The Great British Spring Clean is the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign. Now in its tenth year, it will take place between 21 March and 6 April 2025 and the council is encouraging local community groups, schools and organisations to be #LitterHeroes by getting involved. 

 The council can support local communities to set up their own litter pick events, with equipment available to be loaned to town and parish councils and local community groups across the county. During 2024, we supported more than 150 community events, with volunteers donating over 1,500 hours of labour to collect over 9,800kg of litter. Equipment, such as litter pickers and gloves, was loaned out to help enable more than 40 community events.

Schools can also get involved by signing up to the Great Big School Clean, with pupils taking part in litters collections in their local area. More than 50 Wiltshire schools took part in 2024, with participating schools being given a school litter pick kit containing children’s litter pickers, hi-vis vests and gloves. Eight winning schools were then selected to receive a novelty bear litter bin for taking part.  

 Groups and schools can join the Great British Spring Clean, and make requests for equipment or litter collection by contacting the Community Engagement Manager at wiltshirehelpdesk@idverde.co.uk.  

Where possible, volunteers should dispose of bagged waste in their usual household black bins or a public litter bin that has sufficient capacity. For larger events that could collect more than 10 bags black bags full of waste, the council can arrange single collection following the event.  

Please note that litter picks in the Salisbury area are not encouraged – here, the advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) remains ‘if you didn’t drop it, then don’t pick it up’. 

People can find out more about the Great British Spring Clean at www.keepbritaintidy.org. To find out more about the Don’t Mess with Wiltshire campaign, people can go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/litter