A litter pick is a great way of bringing your community together and look after your neighbourhood. When a place is cared for, it doesn’t just look better, it’s better for the environment and can reduce antisocial behaviour. It’s also a great way to build community spirit and encourage people to feel proud of the places where they live. There are loads of organisations who support litter picks - CleanupUK and Keep Britain Tidy, have great resources and advice.  If your Neighbourhood Watch group would like to organise an event, here's our guide to setting it up. 

Before you start

It’s a good idea to contact the landowner and your local authority as they can offer advice and support. They can give advice about how to dispose of the litter after your event, offer equipment or help your collected rubbish to be removed.   Find your local authority.  

Planning your event

  • Think area you want to cover and set a time limit. One or two hours is more than enough for most people and include rest breaks. You might also want to think about refreshments for the team at the end of the event.
  • Source equipment. You’ll need litter pickers heavy duty, bin bags, hand sanitiser, sensible clothes and sturdy shoes/ boots depending on the weather. There are lots of local organisations and many councils that can help
  • Assess the risks. If you are organising the event, it is your responsibility to keep people safe. CleanUp UK has a risk assessment tool.  Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility,. Always get a parent or guardian’s permission before a child or vulnerable person joins an activity and before taking photos – check out our safeguarding policy.
  • Think about insurance. Neighbourhood Watch public liability insurance is only available to approved Neighbourhood Watch groups – so speak to your local group or start one of your own!
  • Recruit your team. Start promoting your event to like-minded local people, share the date and details on social media or your street WhatsApp and invite local people or groups who might want to take part. 

Keeping Everyone Safe

Before you start your litter pick, take a few minutes to talk through how to stay safe. Avoid picking up potentially dangerous items such as chemical containers, canisters or oil drums. Make sure you tell everyone to leave dangerous sharp objects like broken glass or disposable BBQs. If these need collecting, keep them separate from your litter bags. If you find any needles, syringes or other clinical waste. Report these to the local council for safe removal.

Stay away from risky areas such as deep water, steep or slippery banks, derelict buildings, busy roads and electric fences. Don't try to lift heavy items that could cause injury. If something is too large or heavy, report it to the local council instead.

If you're working on your own, stay where people can see/hear you and let someone know where you're going, and carry a mobile phone.

On the day

  • Arrive early at your meeting point to set up your equipment.
  • Get your team to sign in, so you know exactly who is taking part.
  • If you are taking photos for social media etc. get consent. Before and after photos are a great way to show the immediate impact.
  • Children should be with a parent or guardian, and make sure you get parental permission before photographing children.
  • Do a safety briefing including precautions and potential risks
  • Tell your team the plan and where to find toilets and refreshments. 

After the session 

  • Thank everyone who took part. Praise effort as well as results, everyone loves encouragement.
  • Collect equipment and count the bags of rubbish you collected – it’s a good idea to keep track, especially if you want this to be a regular event. 20 bags a week, turns into 1040 bags a year!
  • Get everyone clean again – make sure everyone has hand sanitiser; hygiene is important before you enjoy a well-earned treat.
  • Report the collected waste: contact your local authority to arrange the collection of the bags
  • Fly tipping. If you see someone fly tipping or come across hazardous waste, report it to the Environment Agency on its 24-hour hotline: 0800 80 70 60 or contact the police. 

Share your success

Thank everyone who took part, take photos and tell people about the great work you've done. It will inspire more people to join you next time.  Don't for get to tag Neighbourhood Watch Network on social media so we can celebrate your story.