Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater launches the Great British Spring Clean – with the help of the Wombles

As chair of the Tidy Britain All-Party Parliamentary Group Ms Leadbeater joined Madame Cholet and Orinoco at the House of Commons last week to encourage people to get involved with waste reduction and litter picking in their communities.

Back for its eighth year, the Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean 2023 will take place from Friday, March 17 to Sunday, April 2, with individual’s urged to pledge to pick up atleast one bag of litter – or more.

As part of the national campaign, a constituency-wide clean-up in Batley and Spen will get underway on Friday, March 17, with volunteers invited to get involved - including schools, community groups, businesses, and sports clubs.

Ms Leadbeater said: “I am very keen for as many people as possible to get involved in the Great British Spring Clean, and to be proud of where they live.

“I am fortunate that we have some fantastic groups here in the constituency who go out regularly to litter pick and combat the scourge of littering – such as Keep Hecky Tidy – but I would like even more people to join in.”

As someone who is passionate about good mental health and combating loneliness Ms Leadbeater is keen to promote the mental health benefits of getting involved with litter picks and meeting people socially whilst doing them.

Launching the national campaign, Ms Leadbeater said it was “a particularly special get-together” that highlighted the “unbreakable spirit of litter heroes” across the whole country.

Ms Leadbeater added: “What’s not to love about improving your environment and feeling good? And as a child of the 70s I was particularly delighted to welcome the Wombles, who proved to be very popular indeed.”

Pledges can be made on an individual, school, community group or business basis.

Last year, the Great British Spring Clean saw an army of amazing #LitterHeroes pledge to pick nearly half a million bags of litter.

For more information or to make a pledge, visit https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean