Get cleaning for Queen and country! - Sleaford needs you! Individuals, groups and businesses all urged to care about keeping their town clean

Get your litter pickers and brushes at the ready! We are all being urged to do our bit for Queen and country in a nationwide clean-up.
Get ready to Clean for the Queen. Sleaford Town Team members, from left - Bev and Eddie Jenkins, Andrew Rayner and Ruth Philp. EMN-160119-094743001Get ready to Clean for the Queen. Sleaford Town Team members, from left - Bev and Eddie Jenkins, Andrew Rayner and Ruth Philp. EMN-160119-094743001
Get ready to Clean for the Queen. Sleaford Town Team members, from left - Bev and Eddie Jenkins, Andrew Rayner and Ruth Philp. EMN-160119-094743001

A ‘Clean for the Queen’ weekend is planned for Sleaford from Friday-Sunday, March 4-6, co-ordinated by the Sleaford Town Team as part of a campaign to motivate millions to tackle the menace of litter.

Keep Britain Tidy, in conjunction with Country Life magazine, has organised the initiative to commemorate the Queen’s 90th birthday, officially celebrated in June 2016.

Sleafordians of all ages who value a clean and tidy community are urged to participate whether as individuals, youth and volunteer groups, schools, sports teams, businesses or local authorities.

Any contribution, no matter how small, will be appreciated, but it is also about educating people not to drop litter in the first place and creating some civic pride and ownership of the areas cleaned, explained event co-ordinator Andrew Rayner.

He said discarded items ranging from fast food packaging and plastic bottles to cigarette butts and chewing gum are increasingly affecting the quality of our daily life as well as wildlife and the countryside.

Mr Rayner said the town’s street sweepers do a sterling job and hoped this might help people understand the scale of their task and maybe make that job easier. “Hopefully people will realise the impact litter has and the difference it can make,” he said.

The Town Team are offering to act as a central point of contact to avoid duplicating efforts.

Schools and businesses may take part on the Friday while community groups may find it easier to contribute over the weekend.

One key aim is to educate against littering from an early age, said Mr Rayner.

“We expect this to be the biggest clean up that Sleaford has ever seen and call upon the people of Sleaford and the surrounding

areas to rally round to support the campaign,” he added.

A number of fun activities are planned, including competitions to reward the best individuals and groups.

Sleaford Town Team are also looking for prize donations, funding for the cost of rubbish disposal, plus equipment such as high visibility and protective clothing,

gloves, bags and litter pickers. If your organisation can help contact the website at www.sleafordtownteam.co.uk

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