Cheshire East Council is urging communities to ‘Clean for The Queen’ to mark the monarch’s 90th birthday – and is giving away free bags and gloves to do the job.
A campaign will begin in March to promote civic pride, with volunteer groups, to organise litter picking and smarten up their towns, villages and neighbourhoods.
The council will set up a fund of £7,000 to provide litter picking packs, including disposable gloves, litter-picker tools and high visibility vests.
This is over and above the fund set aside nationally to drive forward the Clean for the Queen campaign across the country.
It is anticipated that volunteer groups will continue to use the packs and maintain clean-up operations up to and beyond the Queen’s official birthday in June when UK-wide celebrations are planned.
Three days in early March (4-6) have been selected for the launch of the campaign.
The council’s environmental waste and recycling company Ansa will provide free bags for litter and collect them when full.
Councillor David Brown, Deputy Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “We want to encourage existing voluntary clean-up groups to take part and inspire other neighbours and communities to do the same.
“We hope those taking part for the first time will continue to be active in this way and become potential community champions and leaders.
“We would like to see everyone doing their best to make Cheshire East litter free and I hope businesses, take-away food outlets and other organisations will play their part.”
Clean for the Queen is a national campaign and is the first anti-litter campaign since 1953.
More information about Clean for The Queen and the existing clean teams across Cheshire East can be found by searching Clean for The Queen at the council’s website.