If you have seen swarms of volunteers litter picking in your neighbourhood or you have noticed lots of red bags on the side of the road ready for collection, it is probably the work of The Northants Litter Wombles, a group of individuals who just want the county to be as good as it should be to live and work in.
The Wombles came about as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown when individuals who were going out walking more, and noticing the litter strewn across the beautiful county of Northamptonshire, got together to do something about it. In January, a new Facebook group was set up to bring like-minded people together to support one another and celebrate the many hundreds of clean ups that have happened since.
The group has grown at a phenomenal rate and now has 2,600 members. Since its inception, the group has collected over 21,000 bags of litter from the towns and countryside, and worked closely with waste collection agencies to have these bags disposed of. As well as going out on individual and group litter picks, The Northants Litter Wombles have established links with a variety of agencies, including local and national government and other local organisations in order to tackle the litter and fly tipping problem. Strong relationships have developed with businesses such as Northampton Partnership Homes, the Co-op and the Northampton Business Improvement District.
The group has an ambitious agenda – to eradicate litter in the county by 2030 – but understand that the only way to do this is for each and every person in the county to play their part.
The next exciting phase is joining forces with businesses in the county who want a better environment for their staff, customers, families and friends. Many businesses are becoming more aware of their need to be good citizens and have established Corporate Social Responsibility strategies as well as offering staff time to volunteer for good causes. Many also have funding available but are not sure how to create the best impact.
The Northants Litter Wombles are now looking to partner with more businesses to deliver local projects that will clean up the county and make it a better place to live, work and thrive.
If that’s your business and you want to discuss how a partnership might work, call Steve Bishop on 07833 100979 or email steve.bishop@northantslitterwombles.co.uk
Join the group by clicking here.
