We haven’t been able to run group litter picks during lock down. But our litter pickers have been keen to remain active, so we distributed our kit to individuals so they could pick from home whenever they liked. With 19 sets of equipment that adds up to at least 76 bags collected a month, even if people pick just one bag a week. Many do much more than that. It makes a real difference and people thank us all the time.

From March 1st, when the bird nesting season officially starts (we’re not sure who tells the birds!) we’re no longer allowed to pick in heavily wooded areas so as not to disturb the wildlife. So last Sunday (Feb 28) our individual pickers all did a last woodland spring clean – the Scope in particular, the woodland between Trinity Road and Bellevue Field, and parts of Westside and Northside. Although we could see each other now and again we remained socially distanced so as to keep within Covid guidelines.

28 of us collected almost 70 bags of litter, 40% of it recyclable. Some people went out on Saturday as well and collected around 7 bags each day. Stunning! We take the recycling home in the absence of recycling on the Common (we’re working to change that). And because bottles and cans can weigh quite a lot, we’ve invested in a trolley (pictured) which relieves some of the burden of carrying weighty bags of rubbish around. The octogenarians in our gang are particularly pleased about that! Star finds included a frying pan (in the frying pan area of course), a pair of handle bars and a clown’s hat.

We’ll reinstate our regular weekly picks as soon as the guidance allows but for the time being it remains pick as you please, but not in the woodland.