A group of volunteers in Tadworth have won praise for their efforts after collecting over 1,000 bags of litter in their community.
Surrey and Banstead councillors described the efforts of Clean Up Tadworth as "amazing" and "fantastic" last week after the group clocked up over 1,000 bags collected from the streets in six months.
The Clean Up Tadworth volunteer group was founded by resident Alison Goddon back in August 2020 after she noticed a rise in littering during lockdown, and has grown in size and impact ever since.
The group now boasts over 400 Facebook members and regularly sees 50 litter pickers keep Tadworth, Kingswood, Lower Kingswood, Walton on the Hill and Burgh Heath as free from litter as they can.
On Sunday (February 14) Alison was joined by Banstead Songwriter Michael Armstrong for a special Valentine's Day litter pick that witnessed over 1,000 cans collected near the Beacon School in Banstead.
Michael, a parent at the school, is supporting the litter awareness initiative with a self-penned new single release entitled ‘Matters of Heart’ on March 5.
The cans have since been donated to the Banstead’s The Beacon School Friends Association Charity, in association with Tadworth Terracycle in order to "kick start a new litter awareness and recycling project" at the school.
"This fantastic effort by our willing volunteers shouldn’t actually be necessar," Surrey County Council’s Councillor Jeff Harris said.
"If everyone was as passionate about our area as they are, everyone else would TAKE IT HOME! Please don’t be an Anti-social Chucker," he added.
Along with Alison, co-founders Lisa Davies and Juliet Quartermain, also from Kingswood, plus Tadworth resident Sharon Cranfield, hace helped Clean Up Tadworth grow by tapping into social media and appointing area leaders to promote engagement and target litter hotspots.
"Within five months these amazing Litter Pickers have collected 1,000 full bags of litter, plus an enormous amount of large rubbish items and fly tipping and have also got various communities working together," Reigate and Banstead Councillor Rachel Turner said.
"Volunteers include children who are really committed to keeping our beautiful heath, woodlands and other areas litter free," she added.
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