Show your community pride at this year's Great British Spring Clean

THE sun is back out and spring is here, so get stuck in and clean up your community is the message for residents this month.

Liverpool City Council is encouraging residents to get involved in litter picking events taking place during the Great British Spring Clean.

The annual cleanliness campaign, run by Keep Britain Tidy, returns, from:- Friday, 21 March to Sunday, 6 April 2025. And this year, even more people are being urged to become a #LitterHero and pledge to clean up their local area.

To celebrate the start of the cleaning fortnight, the Council is hosting a special launch event in West Derby next Friday. Anyone ready to make the pledge and help to remove rubbish from the streets is welcome to come down to:- St Mary's Church, from:- 9.30am.

Children from local primary schools will be leading the way, with pupils from Blackmoor Park Infants and Juniors joining members from:- Liverpool City Council and the Neighbourhood Police team to clear up litter left around the area.

For anyone not local to West Derby, there will be a number of community litter picks taking place across the City during the Great British Spring Clean fortnight. All community events will be shared on:- Liverpool.Gov.UK/klt.

The Great British Spring Clean is a national event that takes place every year and asks people to protect the places they love by pledging to collect bags of litter. Last year, over 4 million people pledged to Keep Britain Tidy.

In Liverpool, 52 community events and activities took place during 2024's Spring Clean, with over 1500 bags' worth of rubbish taken off the streets.

To maintain good litter habits year-round, the Council joined forces with:- 'Keep Britain Tidy' 3 years ago and launched:- 'Keep Liverpool Tidy.' The collaboration focuses on education, engagement and enforcement around littering and dog fouling and closer work with volunteer groups across the City.

Since the start of the partnership, there has been a positive increase in community litter picking, with campaigns like the Great British Spring Clean bringing an annual boost to activity.

Anyone interested in creating their own litter-picking activity can contact:- KeepLiverpoolTidy@Liverpool.Gov.UK for more information. People can also get in touch to learn more about Liverpool's established litter picking groups who operate throughout the year.

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene said:- "Previous Great British Spring Cleans have been a huge success and it's fantastic to see so much interest in this year already. The launch day and surrounding events are a great way to get involved and help make Liverpool a cleaner, greener place to live and visit. Keeping our streets clean is everyone's responsibility. It might not be your litter, but you can make a huge difference by joining in with a community litter-picking event. The Council is investing money to clean up the City and tackle the issue at its source, but there's only so much we can do. I encourage everyone to sign up to an event in their local area or set 1 up if there isn't 1 already. We'll always be on hand to support where we can. We also want to use this Spring Clean to say a huge thank you to the volunteer groups and Friends Groups for their hard work all year round. Not only do they make a massive positive impact to the city, but they're also a great place to meet new people and get out in nature."

Liverpool community unite with music, culture, and celebration

RESIDENTS from the Smithdown community are coming together for a vibrant celebration of music, food, and culture, creating a welcoming space to share and celebrate heritage.

The event will be held at:- Picton Children's Centre, Earle Road, L7 6HD, on:- Saturday, 22 March 2025, at:- 12 Noon to 2:30pm.

Led by Liverpool City Council's Neighbourhoods team, Picton Children's Centre and in collaboration with local businesses and support services, this event aims to bring neighbours closer, foster connections, and celebrate diversity.

The celebration will feature entertainment, including:- performances from the Choir with no Name and the Batala Drummers.

Food will be provided by the charity Asylum Link, with takeaway boxes available for Muslim residents who are fasting during Ramadan.

In addition to the festivities, there will be services offering advice and support in areas such as housing, health, and leisure.

The Smithdown community celebrates its diversity sending a clear message that division and hate have no place in Liverpool. This upcoming event builds on that spirit of solidarity, reinforcing the commitment to unity.

Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene said:- "This event is a celebration of unity, culture, and the power of community. Everyone is welcome to join and be part of this meaningful day. Liverpool remains a place where people from different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds come together, embracing their differences and building lasting friendships."

Cllr Liz Parsons, Centre Coordinator for Picton and Kensington Children's Centres, highlighted the importance of building a strong and inclusive community. She stated:- "We're really excited to be bringing everyone together but we know that supporting community unity goes beyond 1 event, it's about fostering a lasting sense of belonging and pride in our local area. By embracing and celebrating diversity, we strengthen connections, build meaningful relationships, and create a more resilient, united community."