Bourne Spring Clean

Following the success of ‘Keep Britain Tidy’s Spring Clean Campaign, Bourne Town Council have decided to follow this initiative and will be embarking on Bourne’s own ‘Bourne Spring Clean’.

The message is simple. Join us and pick up as much litter as you can during the Campaign which will run from the 19th to the 28th April. The Town Council will be organising group litter picks during the period but you can also litter pick:

• as an individual
• as a ‘group’
• as a school

Please ensure that you report your results by completing our ‘Collect and count form’.

Also if you manage to take any photos of your clean-up please forward them to enquiries.bournetc@btconnect.com. There will be a prize for the best ones!

EQUIPMENT

To get started cleaning-up, we recommend you use a litter picker and some gloves as a minimum. You will also need a bag to put the litter in, and we recommend carrying hand sanitiser and washing your hands regularly.

If you require any kit then give us a call on 01778 426123.

Please ensure you have considered the weather and are wearing suitable clothing/ shoes, and have enough to drink. If it is warm, consider sun cream/ hats.

DISPOSING OF YOUR LITTER AND RECYCLING

You can either give us a call (01778 426123) and we can arrange for you to drop this off at our collection point or dispose of it with your

HEALTH AND SAFETY

If you attend an official clean-up, Bourne Town Council will have undertaken a risk assessment, and will provide you with a safety briefing.

However, it is important that everyone thinks about safety and understands how to keep themselves safe.

We recommend that you avoid:

• Potentially hazardous objects such as unidentified cans or canisters, oil drums and chemical containers.
• Sharp objects such as broken glass and disposable BBQs – these should be collected in separate containers not litter bags.
• Clinical waste such as needles/syringes – do not attempt to move them yourself. Make a note of their location and inform your local council.
• Hazardous areas such as deep or fast-flowing water, steep, slippery or unstable banks, sharp rocks, derelict buildings, busy roads and electric fences (which are identified by yellow warning signs).
• Working alone – try to stay in sight and earshot of others but if not possible then let someone know where you’ve gone and when to expect you back.

To avoid illness from poor hygiene, all those taking part in the clean-up must:

• Observe social distancing with fellow volunteers and members of the public.
• Wear heavy-duty, protective gloves at all times.
• Cover any cuts (however minor) with surgical tape or a waterproof plaster.
• Keep hands away from mouth and eyes while litter-picking.
• Wash hands and forearms before eating, drinking, smoking or going to the toilet.

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE

If you are attending an official clean-up you will be covered by Bourne Town Council’s Public Liability Insurance.

If you’re volunteering as part of a faith group or as a member of a charitable organisation, its existing public liability insurance may provide cover for your activity.

HEAVY LIFTING

Lifting heavy items could be hazardous. Consider whether it’s practical for volunteers to remove them, or whether they would be best removed by the local council.

DANGEROUS ITEMS

If dangerous, poisonous or hazardous items are present, contact the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.

If syringes are spotted at any stage during your clean-up, do not attempt to move them yourself. Make a note of their location and inform Bourne Town Council.

If you suspect asbestos or find an area of fly tipped rubbish, stop work immediately and warn other volunteers to stay away. Notify Bourne Town Council at the first available opportunity.

If you see someone fly tipping or come across hazardous waste, report it to the Environment Agency on its 24-hour hotline or, alternatively, contact the police.

USE OF LAND

Before going onto any land, make sure that you have permission from the land owner. If you are attending an organised clean-up, your host should have done this in advance.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN

Children should always be accompanied by a responsible adult when taking part in a clean-up.

Before your clean-up, make sure children understand which items are potentially dangerous and should not be picked up. Teach children that if they are in any doubt they should ask a grown up before picking the litter up.

It’s important that children are provided with gloves and wear suitable clothing and footwear. Don’t let children pick for more than one hour at a time.

REPORTING YOUR RESULTS

We need everyone who takes part to tell us how much they collected, what kind of litter is out there, and how it felt to take part.  This will help us tell the story of the scale of the challenge and advocate for change. After you’ve cleaned up, please report your results using our Collect and Count Form.  

HELP US MAKE SOME NOISE! 

By joining in you are doing something fantastic for your local area. If you want to inspire others to make changes and protect the environment on their doorstep, please help us make some noise about the campaign on social media.