VOLUNTEERS Paul Connor and James Coates have got the bug and big ideas for tackling Warrington’s litterbugs and now the means to deliver them!
They jointly developed the “Litter Network” concept, and co-founded the Litter Networks organisation, which simply connects and empowers local communities to pick up litter.
The first Litter Network was launched in Lymm in 2020 and the concept has rapidly spread to already include 14 local networks across Warrington.
The total membership recently passed 1000 people and is still growing rapidly!
Paul said: “Warrington has a thriving community, which has for a long time organised occasional large-scale public litter picks, as well including a number of amazing proactive individuals picking solo in their free time.
“It was always on our minds however that these models alone were not enough to get and stay on top of the growing litter problem we are all aware of.
“Something both larger-scale yet more flexible was needed. Covid-19 then came along and put a stop to those organised picks, accelerating the need for an urgent rethink allowing a larger-than-ever scale of collaboration without constraints on timing and location of clean-up activities.”
The internet seemed to offer a solution and so Paul – a software engineer – and James – a former firefighter, now a specialist in tackling environmental crime – got to work. The result was the concept of a community interacting via a repurposed Facebook group and accompanying web page, simply called a Litter Network.
As Paul explained further: “Each community – whether it be a village, a borough council ward, or otherwise – can have its own local Litter Network (LN). A key part of model is its simplicity.
Local people see, photograph, and post up litter hotspots as they are found, including location information where possible using What3Words. Then local volunteer litter-pickers see the posts and respond by clearing up the litter, or alternatively choosing where to pick themselves – for example on their daily walk. It is a wonderful way to connect people and integrate a community. Before and after pictures are posted up, which generates positive feedback in the form of likes and thanks, and so local litter-picking becomes a self-reinforcing process!”
“Litter-picking is mindful and purposeful outdoor exercise”, added James, “It is certainly unexpectedly rewarding and generates many positive comments from and conversations with passers-by. We are already seeing how it shows and further generates people’s pride in their area and the town! It boosts physical and mental wellbeing for all who take part.
Local litter-picking groups are supported by Warrington Borough Council who by an agreed arrangement can collect large numbers of bags when necessary”.
The statistics are really taking off. Winwick LN was formed in March 2021 and already has 200 members. An already-existing local team, the Tuesday Team, which works as a litter flying squad, is picking litter at four times the rate before lockdown. Organiser Tony Dixon explained, “We used to do two hours on a Tuesday, now we have a more flexible system, so we are out as solos, pairs, in different combinations many days of the week and so we have picked 1,600 bags already in the first 4 months of 2021, compared to 1,000 bags in the whole of 2020!”. Different groups can combine for larger projects, for example Latchford’s LAAMA, Tidy Latch Ford and Latchford Litter Network have worked together to provide basic pickers to the Community in Latchford. Westbrook and Callands LN, Winwick LN and the Tuesday Team recently collaborated to the Sankey Valley Trail under the M62.
It is a growing movement and is only going to get better. There is a positive can-do buzz about it.
With the population approaching 225,000 all of Warrington must work together to enforce standards. Dashcam evidence of littering from cars will produce prosecutions. Many people are looking forward to the arrival of AI-based Littercams. Some groups working with landowners are looking at catching fly-tippers registrations using hidden wildlife cameras, so you have been warned!
You can find out more about Litter Networks, including finding your local Litter Network and contacting Paul and James, at litternetworks.org!
