Big Clean Up 9: Litter-picking volunteers come together to give parks a spruce up

Tower Hamlets Council’s latest Big Clean Up swept through the borough last week with residents defying the wet weather to give parks and streets some extra love and attention.

The ninth edition of the litter picking campaign got underway in Mile End Park on Saturday where the mayor led a band of eager residents in a public clean up. The week that followed saw mini ‘eco-warriors’ from Mayflower Primary School tackling litter in Langdon Park and residents on the Isle of Dogs coming together to clean up East Ferry Road.

John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “It is always a pleasure to take part in the Big Clean Up. Despite the weather conditions last week, we still saw residents joining together with their litter pickers to make a difference in their communities. Keeping our borough clean is a responsibility we all share. We’re very fortunate to have the support of residents of all ages in meeting that challenge.”

70 bags of general rubbish and recyclable waste were collected throughout the week, with the total number of Big Clean Up events rising to 71 since the campaign began back in 2017. During that time, almost 750 volunteers have been involved.

Councillor David Edgar, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “Thank you to all the residents, young and old, who took time out of their week to help keep our streets and parks clean. Litter is a key issue for residents in Tower Hamlets and our staff work hard to keep the borough tidy, but we must all play our part.”

Residents don’t have to wait for a Big Clean Up to come around to take action in their community. The council’s free Love Your Neighbourhood app can be used to share information about repairs that are needed, to report flytipping and to get abandoned vehicles cleared at the touch of a button. The app is available on Android and Apple devices. Alternatively, residents can use a simple online form.

Dates are yet to be finalised for the next Big Clean Up, but the council is calling on residents (either groups or individuals), as well as businesses and schools, to register their interest.