We Are Redbridge: Local litter pickers help keep the borough tidy in support of the Great British Spring Clean 2025

Redbridge’s litter picking heroes are coming together for the Great British Spring Clean 2025, and they’re looking for more people to get involved.

The borough belongs to all of us. We are Redbridge. The Great British Spring Clean is a great opportunity for us all to come together as one community to keep our borough clean and beautiful.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean (GBSC) runs from March 21 to 6 April and encourages families and communities to help keep their neighbourhoods clean by picking up litter and filling as many bags as they can during the national campaign.

In support, Redbridge Council is lending litter pickers to local people for free. Find out how to borrow a council litter picker on www.redbridge.gov.uk/our-streets/community-litter-picking/

There are a number of ways to get involved in the campaign, including joining local community litter picks. This year we have several groups and volunteers running litter picks across the borough for people to join, as well as local children taking part through their schools.  

Oakdale Infants’ School in South Woodford is among the local schools taking part and has already pledged to pick 50 bags of litter throughout the campaign.

Carlotta, age 5, from Oakdale Infants’ School, said: “I’m looking forward to litter picking with my teacher and friends because it makes me feel happy that I’m respecting my planet and helping to keep it safe for everyone else.”

Also from the school, Alba, age 7, added: “If we go and litter pick it’s a good sign to others that we care about the place we live.”

How to get involved in GBSC 2025:

• Organise a clean-up in your community. It’s an excellent way to meet neighbours, and sends out a strong message that the community will not tolerate littering in your local area.
• Volunteer and help Redbridge’s park rangers tackle litter in our parks. Find out more: https://visionrcl.org.uk/parks-outdoor-spaces/volunteering-in-parks-and-open-spaces-2/
• Join a community litter pick – here are a few taking place for GBSC, as well as after the campaign:
• The South Park Users Group are running community litter picks on Saturdays 29 March, 12 April, and 26 April. The group meet at 11am at the Wildlife Centre in South Park, Ilford. No need to book, just turn up and join in. All litter picking equipment is provided. There is tea and snacks afterwards. For more information visit www.spug.org.uk or phone 07966694525
• Join the St. Albans Church litter pick organised by Clementswood Councillors and the Council’s Our Streets team on Saturday 22 March from 11.30am. The group will be picking litter on Albert Road, Ilford IG1 1HS. Bring your own gloves, everything else will be provided. For more information contact ourneighbourhood@redbridge.gov.uk
• The Wanstead society and local councillors hold monthly litter picks on the third Saturday of each month, and the next one is on Saturday 19 April at 10am. The meeting point is the bus stop on Woodbine Place, Wanstead. It’s open to anyone who wants to come along and litter pick.
• The South Woodford Society are leading a community litter pick on Sunday 23 March, and Sunday 27 April. The sessions run 11am – 1pm and the meeting point is SoWo Orchard, E18 1ED (corner of Mulberry Way and Primrose Road). All litter picking equipment is provided but bring your own gloves if possible. To join the litter pick email: e18society@gmail.com

As well as caring for your local neighbourhoods, community litter picks are a great way to get to know your neighbours and make new friends.

Whether you choose to fill one bag during a litter pick, or even challenge yourself to fill a bag a day over a set period of time – it all counts!

Louise Burgess, Sustainability Lead for the South Woodford Society, said: “Litter picking is weirdly addictive!  You can really make a difference in a short period of time and it is very satisfying to see the before and after.  Children especially seem to really like litter picking and often have the most energy of any of us! Getting involved in litter picks, whatever age you are and however long or short a time you have, can really help you to feel part of the community and makes you realise how important our local area is - and that helping keep it clean really does make a difference.”

For more information about GBSC 2025 go to: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean

Research backed by environmental charity ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ recorded a strong connection between emotional wellbeing and the cleanliness of neighbourhoods. People living in cleaner areas reported higher levels of happiness, lower levels of frustration, and were more likely to say they were proud of where they live.*

(ENDS)

*Based on research commissioned by Kärcher in conjunction with Keep Britain Tidy.