Join the Great British September Clean and help Sutton look its best

Sutton Council is pleased to be supporting the Great British September Clean (11-27 September) and is encouraging residents across the borough to get involved, ‘be part of the pick’ and help keep Sutton looking its best.

Organised every year by the charity Keep Britain Tidy, the event usually takes place in the spring but had to be postponed due to COVID-19. But now it’s back and it’s more important than ever that local people get involved. 

Councillor Manuel Abellan, Chair of the Environment and Neighbourhood Committee at Sutton Council, explains: 

“As lockdown measures have eased in our area, sadly we are seeing litter returning to some of Sutton’s streets and parks. 

“Our street cleaning and parks management staff have been working incredibly hard to keep up with the huge volume of extra litter being left behind. But they could really do with some help. So I would encourage residents to get involved in this year’s national Great British September Clean and help keep our local areas looking their best.” 

Councillor Abellan had a simple message for people who drop litter: “There really is no excuse for littering - there are plenty of litter bins located across the borough. Find one, put your rubbish in it and if it’s full, take your litter home with you. It’s as simple as that.”

There are two ways residents can get involved in the Great British September Clean and show their support:

1. Organise a private group clean up with up to five family members and friends

2. Pledge to do your own individual clean up - you can give as little as 15 minutes to the campaign and perhaps pick up some litter while walking the dog or on the school run? It all makes a difference.

To register your clean up or make a pledge , visit www.keepbritaintidy.org where you will also be able to access exclusive resources, content and record your results. There is also specific guidance on how to ensure your litter pick is COVID-secure.

Once you’ve registered your litter pick with Keep Britain Tidy, you can then approach Sutton Council for local support with things like litter pickers, gloves and waste sacks. Working with our street cleaning partner Veolia, we can also arrange for full waste sacks to be collected from a pre-arranged collection point following your clean-up. Simply fill in this short online form on the Sutton Council website and we will be in touch.