Duke of Edinburgh Award Volunteering: Litter Picking – Weybridge In Bloom
D of E Award Volunteering Opportunity – Litter Picking
Applicable to all award levels
Why am I doing this?
We want to keep our local environment free from the damaging effects litter, recycle as much litter as we can to keep it out of landfill, and educate people to support us in our efforts to:
• Cut litter
This is more than just getting people to pick up litter. We aim to change behaviour permanently by spotlighting the daily problems and offering creative solutions, so that people no longer litter.
• Reduce waste
We throw so much away that could be reused, repurposed, or recycled.
• Improve public spaces
People have a right to live in places they can be proud of and prosper in.
• Educate future generations
Every child should have the chance to learn about the environment and the role they can have in improving it.
• Keep our planet clean and free of plastic waste
Plastic waste threatens every part of our planet. It is a global problem that requires everyone’s attention.
In my neighbourhood/town, for one hour a week for 3 months.
What will I need?
Weybridge in Bloom will provide volunteers with:
• A litter grabber (on loan)
• A Weybridge in Bloom vest (on loan) to identify you as part of the group: please wear it at all times
• A small pocket-sized notebook to record the date, time, location and weight of each litter pick
And you will need:
• Weather appropriate sensible clothes and footwear
• Face mask/covering
• Strong/thick gloves
• Plastic bag/sac in which to collect the rubbish
• Hand gel to clean your hands when you take your gloves off
The Do’s and don’ts of keeping yourself safe
• Do let your parents/guardians know when and where you are going.
• Do be Covid sensible and remember: Hands, Face, Space
• Do cover up any cuts
• Do wear your face mask, gloves and identifying vest
• Don’t bring anything along to eat or drink to help avoid touching your face
• Do only pick during hours of daylight
• Do pick everything up with your litter picker
• Don’t listen to music with earphones/headphones/ear buds to ensure that you are always aware of your environment, the people and traffic around you
• Do avoid areas where people are not social distancing
• Do cross busy roads using crossings or in places where you have a good view of the traffic in each direction and don’t make a busy road part of your route
• Don’t pick up litter from the gutter of a road without being aware of the traffic
• Don’t pick up anything hazardous. If you see any syringes etc, let us know where, by sending a photo and the location and we will collect them
• Do not enter any rivers/streams/flooded areas
• Don’t lift any large or heavy objects. Leave them and let us know where they are.
• Do stop before your bag becomes too heavy to carry
• Don’t confront anyone you see littering, or take of photo of them
• Do use your common sense and any queries/ concerns/problems just call us and keep our contact details on your phone. We are also on WhatsApp.
For the first month walk around your neighbourhood/town and see what area (or areas on rotation) you would like to commit to. This could be your local streets, park, shops, local fields, woodlands or wherever you can get to easily. We can also give you suggestions. The pandemic has changed the amount and location of litter being dropped with less on the routes to the station for example as many people are WFH, and during lockdowns, less around schools and the main shopping areas. However, areas attracting people for walks etc such as some parks and footpaths have seen increases. You can change your routes as the restrictions begin to lift and patterns of activity change.
Just let us know which area/s you intend to adopt and then go out independently each week.
As the restrictions on social distancing lift there may be opportunities to do an occasional group pick with us, or with other members of Weybridge in Bloom.
Using your litter picker pick up the obvious rubbish from the pavement and look in grassy areas and at the bottom of hedges, shrubberies.
If you see discarded traffic cones, traffic signs, and other road work items, please send us a photo and location details, and we will let the council know.
And as mentioned previously, leave any medical waste for us.
How do I record my efforts?
It is important to record what you do every week so that we have all the information we need to sign off the DofE paperwork at the end of the three months volunteering. Each week record the date, time and area/roads of your pick in the notebook, along with a short comment if appropriate, such as:
Lots of NO2 cannisters/mainly food and drink waste/rubbish bin overflowing/lots of rubbish thrown in hedge/lots of rubbish dropped from cars in parking space by park, mostly tins/plastic/paper waste etc
Then take a photo of what you have collected and send it to us.
Finally weigh and dispose of the litter. Once we are out of the pandemic the recyclable waste can be separated out.
Each week wash your gloves and masks after your litter pick and clean the picker with an appropriate disinfectant.
Please complete and sign the application form on the WiB Website – DofE
Here are our details, and please get in touch with the Weybridge In Bloom Team whenever you have any queries/concerns/problems.
Mobile: 0796 4166 345
Email: dofe@weybridgeinbloom.org.uk
