Litter picking hub opens in Bridgend

Kenfig Hill, Pyle and Cornelly (KPC) Youth and Community has become the fourth litter picking hub to be created in Bridgend county borough with a further six hubs planned for the coming year.

The centres store equipment for any individuals or local groups wanting to help tidy up their community.

The kit includes litter picking gadgets, hoops, hi-vis vests and bin bags as well as health and safety guidance.

Volunteers are also able to record exactly where and when a litter pick took place and how many bags of rubbish were collected online, helping to give an overall picture of the work going on.

The launch of the litter picking hub at KPC Youth comes after the Our Community…Love It, Don’t Trash It! campaign that took place in six primary schools in Kenfig Hill, Pyle and Cefn Cribwr.

During the 12-week project, pupils learnt about the effects of rubbish left discarded both in their community and on the beach.

It was a joint collaboration between Bridgend County Borough Council, Keep Wales Tidy and the local Cornelly, Cefn Cribwr and Pyle community councils, together with SeaQuest.

These hubs enable all volunteers interested in litter-picking to have a local contact and a base in which they can borrow all the necessary gear and record the great work they’re doing.

Across the county an army of volunteers are making a huge difference to their communities and helping raise awareness of the effects of litter.

Bridgend County Borough Council’s deputy leader Hywel Williams

Alison Mawby, project development manager at KPC Youth and Community, said: “We’re hoping that by becoming a hub, it will make it easier for people to put a bit of love back into the area.

“In addition to local groups and organisations, young people are keen to make their community look better and it could become a regular thing for them to take part in a litter pick during the school holidays.”

Brian Jones from Keep Wales Tidy said: “Whether you want to spend a few hours litter picking with your colleagues or organising a bigger community clean-up event, you can visit one of our litter picking hubs to borrow equipment.

“The data collected through community groups and volunteers undertaking litter picks will be transformed into maps helping to highlight how the efforts of individuals and groups contribute to the bigger picture.

“Data will help show where groups are active and identify where there is no activity taking place which will help us prioritise actions.”

Over the past few months, litter picking hubs have opened up in Porthcawl, Caerau and Pencoed.