BRITAIN'S LITTER HEROES

"My philosophy is not to be angry about litter, but just to accept that it does get onto the streets somehow. I just pick it up, so restoring my town, at least, to its original beauty."
Rob "The Rubbish" Kevan, Powys

If you pick up litter you are not alone. This is a Litter Hero (and Heroine) map of Great Britain showing the volunteers who are quietly getting on with keeping their corner of the country clean . Zoom in and click on the pins to read their stories and thoughts on litter.
These are just the amazing people I know about. If you pick up litter or know of an individual or group who does, please email me and help me complete the map.
(This map was the brilliant idea of Jessica Hasler, currently the most northerly Litter Heroine)


View Litter Heroes in a larger map

Stan Stone

Stan Stone is something of a litter super hero. In 18 months, this very fit 76 year old retired garage owner has picked an amazing 550 sacks of litter from the roads and lanes around his home in Apperley near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.

Stan goes out litter picking two or three times a week, in all weathers. He regularly clears litter from more than 20 miles of roads and lanes in the vicinity.

Stan's advice to anyone starting out litter picking is not to become too obsessional. He now finds it difficult to walk or drive past any litter without stopping to pick it up.

Stan is a member of Tewkesbury Borough Council's volunteer litter picking scheme. They provide the distinctive red bags, litter-picker and hi-vis waistcoat.

Daniel Hunt

Here's how Daniel was nominated:

Dear Sir,
I would like to nominate my son Daniel Hunt as a litter hero. Despite my giving him all the usual arguments for not doing it, he went ahead anyway and single-handedly has removed a large part of Darlaston, West Midland's litter that's been lying around for years. I came across your website and realised how wrong I had been trying to talk him out of it. Keep the good work up.
Best Wishes
Daniel's Dad

'Nuff said!

Sharon Cattermole

This is the wonderful Sharon Cattermole a great litter heroine from Leigh on Sea, Essex. So far she has picked up 112 sacks of litter from her section of the Prittle Brook footpath. She also coordinates a local community group that undertakes litter picks.

Peter Collins

I came across Peter (right) doing a heroic job of picking up litter from a lane near his home in Elkstone, a small village outside Cheltenham. In fact, he was the first volunteer litter picker I spotted after setting up this website. I think it's great to see someone of his age doing it. Well done Peter.

"Rob the Rubbish" Kevan

Rob Kevan is a retired social worker, chef, grandfather, marathon runner, football referee and Manchester City supporter (well, somebody has to be!). A few years ago he started to notice the litter in his town of Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. In 2005 he started getting up at 5am and and picking up the litter from the steets around the town.

Amongst many media appearances Rob has been featured on the the Jeremy Vine Show, the One Show and the Mountain programme with Gryff Rhys-Jones.

Rob has led and inspired clean ups of a number of mountians including Snowdon and Ben Nevis. In 2006, he flew to Nepal with a film crew and participated in a 3 week trek clearing litter from the walk in to Everest Base Camp.
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Laurence McAuley

"I live in a small coastal village called Ballygally on the beautiful Antrim Coast Road in N. Ireland. I walk the road most days and pick up the numerous cans and bottles that appear overnight - I have an arrangement with a householder a couple of miles down the road to put them in his bin for recycling. It's obviously the motorists discarding the litter - it really cracks me up when there is absolutely no need for any of it! "

Boughton Litter Heroes (& Heroines)

This team of heroes clear litter from the verges of Boughton village in Norfolk and the Boughton Fen SSI. From left to right, they are Mick, Paul Coulten (Parish Clerk), Angela Faherty, Bill Beeson and Frank Reid (Parish Chairman)

Sporting the snazziest wellies ever worn for litter picking, the sixth member of the group is Debbie Fisher.

David Hayward

This (left) is a not very good photo of David Hayward who has adopted Buckholt Wood (above) near Birdlip in Gloucestershire. Buckholt is one of the prettiest beech woods in the Cotswolds but it suffers from a lot of littering and fly tipping and was in dire need of a friend.

Dave Lundy

This is Dave Lundy and his dog Tex from Cheadle Hume in Cheshire. Tex is very good at ferreting out litter and Dave is very good at picking it up.

Norfolk anti-litter group

Members of the Norfolk CPRE Anti-litter Group are pictured here in action clearing litter from a layby on the A11.
NB. The CPRE deserve a great deal of credit for being one of the few organisations addressing the issue of rural litter.

Paul Wiley, Chairman CPRE Norfolk Anti-Litter Group, nominated David Kemp (left) as an outstanding Litter Hero for his work clearing litter from around Norwich.

Angela and Martin Walters

Angela and Martin pick up litter from around Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire. Martin is pictured here with one session's haul from Wardrobe Lane.

Andrew Milburn

This is Andrew Milburn a great Litter Hero from Great Ayton in North Yorkshire. In the background is Roseberry Topping a local landmark and National Trust site that Andy has adopted and keeps clear of litter (it's a beautiful spot - I've been up it). In an email Andy says "Some times I feel as if I have totally lost the plot and tend to go picking early to avoid people as I have a young son 12 yrs old and I would not like any ridicule to be directed his way". Well, I think Andy's son has every reason to be proud of his father - it does actually take a bit of courage to go litter picking.

The Lothian Litter Lady

This is Angela Stewart who picks up litter 3-4 times a week around Tyninghame and White Kirk near Dunbar. It's nice of the Council to supply her with such fetching pink rubbish bags. Great job Angela!

Patrick McLaughlin

Litter Hero Patrick McLaughhlin regularly walks and litter picks a 12 mile route of lanes around Braybrooke near Market Harborough. The local council who have given him extra pickers and bags and they then pick the up from collection points. He has put up signs as well and his campaign is called "green Britain" Patrick was nominated by his wife Jayne who also litter picks around the village.

Athina Beckett

Athina got hooked on litter picking as a volunteer for Milton Keynes Inland Waterways Association, clearing the Grand Union Canal. For the last, three years she and her dog TinTin have walked a stretch of the tow path two or three times a week picking up litter as they go.

Anthony Croser

If the lanes around around Norton on Derwent in North Yorkshire are looking cleaner of late it is probably down to Anthony Croser who is undetaking regular litter picks up there. He writes: "My local council, Ryedale District Council, have been fairly good in that they provide litter picking equipment and on filling up bags I only have to call them and they will pick them up when they do their rounds, or I can leave bags next to the litter/dog waste bins that they empty"

Anne Richardson

Anne is a recent convert, litter picking around Woodley, near Reading. A star lady - she also very kindly completed a survey for What's littering Britain.

Laura Barker

This our youngest litter heroine, Laura Barker, aged 7 and her Dad Shane. They have adopted a number of spaces including Scarborough Mere (pictured), Magpie Park and Long Lane Fantastic work!

Not only, but also

The following litter heroes and heroines are just too modest to send me a photo of themselves in action:

Tom Lubbock-Smith, Kingsclere, Nr Newbury, Berkshire
Richard Stancombe, Sherston, Wilts
David Skinner, Herne Village, Kent
Richard Doherty and Lilian Modlock , Gillingham, Dorset
Margaret Farrell, Halesowen West Midlands
Alan Green, Quarrier's Village, Bridge of Weir, Scotland
Richard Waller, Goring-on-Sea, Sussex
Geoff Taylor (83!), Mill Hill, London
Jenny and Graham Butcher, Kennet & Avon Canal path, Semington, Wilts
Michael J Cryer, Baybridge, Hampshire
Peter Birch, Belmont, Bolton
Jeff Jones, Balterley Green Cheshire (for 25 years)
Lesley Markham, The Thames (by boat)
Jackie de Trafford. The Castlemain Trail, Wimborne, Dorset
Dean Harris, Maderia Cove, Weston Super Mare
Andy Woodcock, Plumpton, Cumbria
Stephanie Easton, Torrington, Devon
Pam Eastwood, Kent
Alan Ives, Folly Lane, Norwich
Lorna Nicholson
Rick Owen, Trowbridge, Wilts
Peter French, Rearsby, Leics
Bryan Lea, Grand Union Canal, Milton Keynes

Other Groups and Indivuals

If you know of a hero or group of heroes who should be mentioned here, please let me know.

Copyright © Tim Barnes 2008