Dedicated groups tackling the blight of litter in their communities are backing a campaign aimed at cleaning up some of North Yorkshire’s best-loved locations.
North Yorkshire Council has teamed up with parish and town councils to encourage residents and visitors to protect the environment, with weatherproof anti-littering posters installed in their communities.
Among the grassroot organisations supporting the campaign is Malton and Norton Tidy Group, which was established in 2009 to tackle littering across the two towns.
With around 20 members, the group estimates that more than 500 bags of litter are collected each year.
“It is clear that the work of a relatively small group of community-spirited residents is making a significant difference to the appearance and wellbeing of our towns,” said group member Antony Croser.
“The same stretches of roadside verges are picked on a regular basis, and we constantly collect the same amount and type of litter.
“The main items are drinks cans and bottles, and packaging from food on the go. It is quite worrying how much alcohol-related litter there is, and this includes wine and spirit bottles.
“We are constantly collecting debris from vehicles; you name it, and someone has probably picked it up on of the many rounds that we have done over the years.”
The council helps community groups to operate by providing equipment, such as litter-pickers and high-vis vests, and advice, as well as arranging for any litter to be collected.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for street scene, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: “We are indebted to the hard-working volunteer litter-picking groups who give up their spare time to keep their towns and villages tidy and protect the environment.
“Our campaign is about spreading the anti-littering message, whilst encouraging pride among residents with the help of organisations and town and parish councils.
“The sheer amount of litter collected by these groups and our council operatives highlights the scale of the problem in all corners of the county.
“Through the campaign we are striving to ensure North Yorkshire remains an appealing place to live, work and visit.”
The campaign features common terms using the Yorkshire dialect including ‘Take yer litter home, ta’.
More than 100 parish and town councils have joined the campaign with more than 800 posters installed in towns and villages across the county.
Keep Scarborough Tidy was formed in 2021 and is made up of 60 members who have been provided with equipment from the council’s street cleansing team.
With the help of 1,500 followers on Facebook led by group chair Mick Couzens, they highlight the blight of litter and encourage others to help with the clean-up.
The council’s campaign aims to highlight the work of these groups and their involvement within communities.
Mr Couzens regularly visits local primary schools to host talks, provide posters and books on ways to protect the environment. He works closely with Guides, Scouts, and Beavers, and has carried out litter-picks with businesses such as McDonald’s and McCain’s.
To coincide with the council’s campaign, Keep Scarborough Tidy is holding litter-picks over the school holidays in Peasholm Park, South Cliff, and on the Cinder Track.
North Yorkshire is England’s largest county with 3,090 square miles and 615,000 residents. With the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks sitting in its boundary, the county sees a surge in holiday-makers during the summer months.
Posters have been installed in laybys and at busy tourist hotspots from Richmond Falls to Scarborough and Whitby’s coastal areas.
Last month, Richmond’s street scene team carried out their annual litter pick of the A66 from Scotch Corner to the Durham border.
They removed about 100 bags of litter, the majority being food and drink containers thrown from vehicles. They also found car parts and other debris, weighing nearly a tonne.
Richmond Pride was formed in 2002 under the banner of Richmond Town Council. Since then, a dedicated group of volunteers has met at least once a month to litter-pick, with others doing regular clean-ups where they live.
Volunteer Lorraine Batts said: “Our historic market town is such a beautiful place, so it’s no surprise how popular it is with tourists and day-trippers.
“However, a consequence of an influx of visitors is the blight of litter, which is regularly left at the waterfall, batts and in nearby Friary Gardens.
“The group was formed over 20 years ago to keep our neighbourhood clean, tidy, and welcoming.”
Research has shown that more than two million pieces of litter are dropped in the UK every day, and about 350 million drinks cans are picked up from the ground every year.
Getting rid of litter from the streets costs £1 billion a year, according to research by the Keep Britain Tidy charity.