From National Trails to little local footpaths, outdoor routes have been a lifeline to lots of people over the last few months. Exactly as they should do, these trails have allowed people to get some much-needed outdoor time whilst remaining safe. However, the trails have also suffered. We’ve heard and seen an increase in rubbish all over the country, and this is increasing further over the summer holiday period as many places see even more visitors than usual.
Whilst the vast majority of visitors are responsible and do not leave or drop litter, some do, and the increase in visitor numbers has caused increased littering. So it’s time we sprung back into action! So many of our members have continued their amazing work picking up litter and educating other trail users, but we want to bring everyone together for a big litter blitz. We know that people are less likely to drop litter on clear trails, so we want to take as many trails as we can back to their litter-free best.
Unfortunately, the Pick The Path relay or big litterpick formats we’ve used before aren’t the best option at the moment, so we have another plan: Either by yourself or in a small group, choose a nearby area which is suffering with litter. Then, let us know who you are and the area you’re tackling, and on Saturday 22nd or Sunday 23rd August, get in there and clear the area of rubbish. Groups across the country will be doing the same, so though we can’t all clear one trail together we can still make a massive difference.
Click here to tell us your plans – first 10 will win a prize!
We know there are hundreds of small litterpicking groups, dedicated families and individuals who spend days doing this anyway, but if we can co-ordinate a weekend of action we can really amplify the effect of our efforts. We’ll be tackling a section of the South West Coast Path in Cornwall, and we already know of groups planning to take part in Devon, South Yorkshire and Shropshire.
We’d love to be able to plot all the spots you’re tackling on a map and use this to get the message out that dropping rubbish is just not acceptable. The more groups who take part the more powerful this message will be, so please do let us know your plans! Get in touch on Twitter (@runnersVrubbish), Facebook (), or by email (runnersagainstrubbish @ gmail.com). On the day, we’d love to see some before and after photos.
Click here to tell us your plans – first 10 will win a prize!
We’ve created an online form to fill in to quickly tell us where you’re planning to tackle. The first ten individuals or groups to sign up will each win a Silva 36L Drybag worth £45! We’ll also be giving out spot prizes to participants over the weekend
NB: Prizes will be sent out after the event, i.e. you have to actually pick up some rubbish, not just sign up 😉
Runners against Rubbish - News 