Litter Heroes across the South West pledged to pick up 35,837 bags of rubbish

Litter Heroes across the South West pledged to collect 35,837 bags of rubbish during the Great British Spring Clean, as a local man and an animal charity won awards. The region backed Keep Britain Tidy’s call to support the nation’s biggest campaign.

Litter Heroes across the South West pledged to pick up 35,837 bags of rubbish during Great British Spring Clean as local man and animal charity scoop awards.

Region answered environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy’s call to support country’s biggest environmental campaign.

Keep Britain Tidy today praised an army of litter-pickers across Bristol, Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Dorset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire who pledged to collect 35,837 bags of litter during the 2026 Great British Spring Clean.

Over the course of the campaign, ancient and bizarre treasures have been collected across the nation, including toy soldiers, underpants and food packaging 40 years past its sell by date! 

The charity, which is the leading organisation in the country campaigning against litter, has announced that the RSPCA Community Engagement Hub Team, including staff from RSPCA West Hatch in Taunton, have scooped a Great British Spring Clean award.

The team, which won the charity’s coveted Golden Litter Picker award, had a brilliant idea in combining GB Spring Clean litter themed talks and workshops with practical litter picking activities across multiple regions. 

Four Community Engagement Hub teams including RSPCA West Hatch delivered 88 litter picks, engaging 6,156 children, young people and their teachers. By visiting 62 locations in Merseyside, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Birmingham, they effectively mobilised 3,598 litter pick participants – and along the way they collected 127 bags of litter!

This approach engaged schools and local communities in tackling litter while simultaneously raising awareness about animal welfare issues related to litter.

And Derek Cole from Cheltenham, who litter-picked until the age of 92, posthumously won the Litter Legend award after the charity heard how the determined resident litter-picked his street twice a week, despite having had various operations over the last few years and relying on a stick or frame to walk.

Derek was out during last year’s campaign with his bucket and 'grabber' picking up cigarette butts (amongst other things) dropped by people visiting local pubs and restaurants.

His proud daughter Susan nominated him for the Litter Legend award, and Derek was thrilled to later learn he had been shortlisted. Sadly the much-loved dad passed away in the winter, before he knew that he had won.

The South West’s contribution has been hailed a huge success after individuals, community groups, businesses and local authorities in the region joined forces to protect the environment – and local wildlife – throughout the annual movement.

Using data from those who shared their region, the charity revealed tens of thousands of Litter Heroes across the South West removed rubbish from the region’s streets, parks and beaches.

At the same time, thousands of pupils in schools across the region took part in the Great Big School Clean, learning about the impact litter has on our wildlife and seeing for themselves that small actions, when taken together, can make a big difference.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “Thanks to the collective force of determined South West residents we are celebrating an incredible number of bags picked across the region’s counties.

“It’s clear that the impact of people-power here has been huge, proving that the people of the South West really do love where they live.

“We remain truly in awe of the efforts of our supporters and volunteers across the region’s communities, schools, voluntary organisations, businesses and local authorities – thank you to all of you.”

Around 95% of people surveyed after 2025's campaign agreed that they made a difference to their local area during the Great British Spring Clean, with 88% agreeing they feel part of a national movement that is taking action to tackle litter.

The Great British Spring Clean is the nation’s biggest mass-action campaign. This year’s event was made possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, media partners Bauer Media Outdoor, Magic Radio and The Mirror, and supporting partners KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi MAX and Walkers.