In spite of some pretty gloomy weather, Tidy Wales week was full of activity.Our staff and volunteers worked tirelessly during the week and removed hundreds of bags of rubbish from all over Wales. Chief Executive Lesley Jones joined John Griffiths, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development as he launched the week in Newport. He recognised the vital role of volunteers in helping to improve their local environment.
Events took place throughout Wales. Volunteers from 5th Carmarthen Scouts got their hands dirty as they set about improving access at a Carmarthen beauty spot.
The children spent two evenings working on the footpaths around Cwmoernant Ponds; cutting back overgrown vegetation, edging the paths and cleaning leaves from the walkways.
Dan Snaith, Keep Wales Tidy’s Carmarthenshire officer, said:
‘The scouts have set an excellent example to their peers by undertaking this kind of voluntary work, and I hope that many more people, of all ages would come forward to give their time, no matter how large or small to help with similar projects."
In north Wales, schoolchildren got busy in Anglesey and enjoyed collecting lots of rubbish.
Project officer Gareth Owen was on hand to help and encouraged all volunteers to separate rubbish that could be recycled. As part of a new scheme that is trialling, blue bags were used to collect bottles and cans and red bags for paper and cardboard. This hopefully will reduce the amount of rubbish from litterpicks that goes to landfill.
Residents from Morawelon and the surrounding area joined forces with Keep Wales Tidy and Communities First to clean up their streets. In total, 85 bags of rubbish were collected.
This year, a new and exciting challenge took place in the shape of the Three Rivers Challenge. Unfortunately, littering and fly tipping is also a problem in Welsh waters. As part of this year’s Tidy Wales Week, Keep Wales Tidy launched the ‘Three Rivers Challenge’. Funded by Environment Wales, we asked community groups, businesses and volunteers to help clean-up the Rivers Ebbw, Ogmore and Teifi over three consecutive weekends during September and October. Hundreds rose to the challenge and helped clean up the three rivers.