Litter heroes needed for Fife’s Big Rubbish Weekend

Fife Street Champions are holding the event on August 1 and 2 and are looking for people to help them collect as many bags of rubbish as they can by clearing streets, parks, countryside and beaches across the Kingdom over two days.

The move comes as the group recently appealed for more helpers to join them to improve areas blighted by litter.

The Fife Street Champions initiative began two and a half years ago when Hilary Haman from Freuchie, fed-up with litter blighting the village, started to do something about it.

Soon after, David Spence signed up to the ranks.

The retired business manager had been looking for something to fill his time and happened across the champions’ Facebook page.

The three administrators – Hilary, David and Claudia Genest – are now eager to enlist more help. For while the Facebook page has many supporters, only around 50 members regularly pick up litter.

David, one of the group administrators, said explained where the idea for the Big Rubbish Weekend came from. He said: “The aim of the event is to pick up a large amount of litter, to continue the good work already being carried out and to further promote the group to the general public.

“The event will take place throughout Fife, either by a number of our people banding together to do picks in various places, or by going out alone. “I’ve asked people to try and plan where they are going to pick in advance, so as to be as effective as possible.

“Anyone can simply go out and pick up some litter any time they want but if they want their efforts to be counted in the FSC tally, they will have to either join the group or get someone in the group to tell us. Ideally everyone should accompany their results with a photograph of their bags.”

He said teh volunteers are filling an average of over 400 bags of litter per month at the moment so if they filled 200 in that weekend, he said that would be fantastic.

David added: “Anyone wanting to take part in the Big Rubbish Weekend should dress for the weather and bring litter pickers, bags, gloves, sturdy footwear and a positive attitude.” For more details and to join the group type in Fife Street Champions on Facebook.

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