Huddersfield Town help kick off the Great British Spring Clean in Kirklees
Players and staff from Huddersfield Town Football Club are championing this year’s Great British Spring Clean, by collecting rubbish from routes and neighbouring communities around the John Smith Stadium.
Bin it, don’t drop it
At a clean-up event organised by Kirklees Council’s Recycling team, staff, academy players, coaches and managers gathered together on Monday 17 March to help keep Kirklees tidy. In a single day they collected 76 bags of general waste, which is the equivalent to 19 domestic wheelie bins.
There were a few surprises, and some unusual items were also collected including a laptop bag, odd socks, a car tyre and a car mat.
Councillor Munir Ahmed, Councillor for Environment and Highways said:
“It’s shocking just how much rubbish has been collected in a single day. We should all be putting our litter in a bin or in our pocket or bag and taking it with us. If everybody did that then largescale events like this would not be necessary.
“The amount of litter collected serves as a reminder that it’s not just one sweet wrapper or drinks bottle that’s dropped, but it contributes to something on a much bigger scale.
“Dropping litter makes our communities look unsightly and causes danger to our wildlife because they often mistake litter for food or get trapped.
“I want to thank all those who always bin their rubbish and our army of litter picking volunteers who are picking up after other people and helping keep our communities clear from rubbish, you are an inspiration.”
Zoe Shakleton, Head of Human Resources and EDI at Huddersfield Town AFC said:
“This was our first experience of participating in the Great British Spring Clean. Giving something back to the people and communities nearby to the John Smith’s Stadium and tidying up the routes that our supporters take on match days, is important to us. It was great for everyone to work towards a shared goal and Kirklees Council’s Recycling team for their help and support in planning and executing the cleanup.”
The big clean will have a positive impact on the appearance of routes into the town centre, encourage more people to throw their litter into a bin and will improve the habitat for our urban wildlife.
Become a local litter picking hero
Keep Britain Tidy are looking for litter heroes to clear litter from our outdoor spaces. You can make a pledge on the Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean website – either as a group or an individual. As well as making a difference in your local area, whilst you’re out and about you’re also improving your mental and physical wellbeing, so it’s a win-win!
Any groups or individuals who would like to borrow litter picking equipment including picks, gloves and bags, or to have filled rubbish bags collected please email litterpicking@kirklees.gov.uk .