'The tables have turned': Heckmondwike litter initiative helps restore pride in the community

The Love Where You Live: Heckmondwike initiative from Keep Britain Tidy kicked off this summer, aiming to better connect local people with their community and encourage them to play a part in making their environment cleaner, greener and more cared for.

The scheme began with ‘Bin It For Good’ which saw local causes rewarded for responsible litter disposal.

Every piece of rubbish binned in Market Square’s high-visibility smart bins counted towards donations towards three local charities which were nominated by residents: Rainbow Baby Bank, Brighter Grays and Magic Wishing Well.

The second part of the project, entitled ‘It’s Still Littering’ challenged residents to rethink what littering looks like, from leaving a newspaper on a public bench, to leaving an empty coffee cup at a bus stop.

Residents have also been encouraged to pledge to pick up after their dogs and a further initiative to tackle chewing gum littering was launched.

Next week, a presentation on the scheme will be delivered to Kirklees Council’s environment and climate change scrutiny panel, which includes the outcomes that have been achieved.

The presentation states that the ‘Bin It For Good’ element saw a 52 per cent litter reduction and the ‘It’s Still Littering’ part achieved a 41 per cent reduction in littering.

One resident who is quoted in the presentation said: “Back in the day, I used to regard Heckmondwike as Dewsbury’s scruffy neighbour. I think the tables have turned. The town centre is busy, all the retail units are open and its clean and tidy.”