National environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy is launching its tenth national Great British Spring Clean, which sees thousands of volunteers across the North West picking litter to protect the environment.

It comes after the charity revealed that 64% of the North West’s adults love where they live but for 72%, seeing litter makes them less proud of their neighbourhood.

In a YouGov survey carried out on the charity’s behalf ahead of the campaign (March 21st to April 6th), 84% of the region’s adults said they demonstrated their love for where they live by not dropping litter, while others said they litter-picked (11%) and volunteered in their local community (15%).

Nearly two thirds (64%) of adults across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside say they are ‘disappointed’ when they see litter in their local area, while over two fifths (45%) are angry. They also feel sad (40%) and embarrassed (33%). Nearly a fifth (19%) even said they ‘called out’ littering or told others not to do it.

Since 2016, the Great British Spring Clean has become the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign, empowering #LitterHeroes across the nation to pledge to pick more than four million bags of harmful rubbish from streets, parks and beaches – that’s more than half a million wheelie bins!

Some have joined the charity’s Ambassador programme and are currently fronting the charity’s national advertising campaign to Love Where You Live.

With adults in the survey agreeing that seeing litter-free parks and beaches (53%) and streets (59%) would help them love where they live more, the charity is calling for communities, schools, businesses, faith groups and local authorities across the North West to join forces during the campaign to tackle litter and protect the environment on their doorsteps.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “We know there’s a problem – but we also know that people-power is part of the solution.

“Each year the Great British Spring Clean’s fantastic and dedicated #LitterHeroes take positive action to tackle litter and show they love where they live.

“This growing culture of small individual actions has added up to an enormous impact with 48,902 bags pledged in just two and half weeks in the North West in 2024 alone. Thank you to everyone who has been involved.”

People can pledge to pick via the charity’s website: www.keepbritaintidy.org and can also register for free for the charity’s #LitterHeroes programme, enabled thanks to funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “It’s fantastic that players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised funds that are going directly towards the Great British Spring Clean and are supporting the passionate #LitterHeroes who are custodians of the places they live and work.

“It’s heartening to see unsung heroes who work hard to take care of the places they live and work celebrated in a national advertising campaign that will – hopefully – encourage everyone to think about how they too can ‘love where they live’.”

Supporting the cause is headline partner the Calisen Impact Charitable Trust (supported by the Calisen Group, which owns, installs and manages essential energy infrastructure, driven by its vision of smarter energy for all).

A Calisen Impact Charitable Trust spokesperson said: “The Trust is proud to be continuing from the Calisen Group to be headline sponsor of Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean as we support the charities aim to achieve the UK climate targets and move the UK towards zero emissions.”

Calisen Group CEO Sean Latus, said: “At Calisen we know that how the local environment looks – whether it’s our towns, cities, beaches or parks – affects the wellbeing of communities.

“We’re therefore delighted to support through our charitable trust – and empower – communities across England by once again joining forces with Keep Britain Tidy to support the Great British Spring Clean.”

This year’s campaign is made possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, media partners the Mirror and Clear Channel, headline partner Calisen Impact Charitable Trust and supporting partners KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi MAX and Walkers.