North Devon Council is once again proud to take part in and support Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean (GBSC) - the UK’s largest mass environmental action campaign. This nationwide initiative encourages individuals, community groups, businesses, and local councils to come together and tackle litter in streets, parks, and beaches.

Now in its tenth year, the GBSC runs from 21 March to 6 April 2025, and the council is urging residents to get involved by either joining a group clean-up event or carrying out their own litter-picking efforts. To support volunteers, the council’s waste and recycling team will be providing litter-picking equipment (subject to availability) and arranging litter collection by prior request.

Councillor Ricky Knight, Lead Member for Climate and Biodiversity at North Devon Council, says: “This fantastic initiative not only revitalises our local environment but also strengthens our collective responsibility towards a cleaner, greener North Devon. I encourage everyone to take part, whether individually or as part of a group, and make a real difference."

Councillor Julie Hunt, Lead Member for Waste and Recycling, adds: “Every piece of litter removed makes a difference. I urge residents to take advantage of the waste and recycling team’s offer of equipment and collection services. By working together, we can protect our local environment and contribute to a wider movement that benefits our planet.”

This initiative aligns with North Devon Council’s ‘Clear Messages’ campaign, which focuses on tackling environmental offences such as littering and fly-tipping. Residents are encouraged to support this effort by reporting littering incidents.

The council is also working alongside Clean Devon, a multi-agency partnership dedicated to reducing litter and fly-tipping across the region. As part of the campaign, Clean Devon will be supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s social media messaging and sharing additional local messages via Recycle Devon, which will also be re-shared through North Devon Council’s channels.

Residents or community groups interested in borrowing litter-picking equipment or arranging waste collection can contact the council via email at pete.sheppard@northdevon.gov.uk or by calling 01271 374776.

To report fly-tipping or other environmental offences, visit the council’s website or call 01271 388870. For more details on organising a clean-up, visit Keep Britain Tidy’s website.