The litter pickers changing attitudes to rubbish

Nicola Elliot started the group in January 2021 in Northampton

A group of volunteer litter pickers believe their actions are changing attitudes to rubbish - especially in children.

Northants Litter Wombles started out in early 2021 at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, when people were only allowed to meet outside.

Kevin Potter, the group's education lead, said it had recruited younger members from special assemblies it had put on in about 20 primary schools.

He said it had so far reached 6,000 children and the hope was to visit every primary school in the county.

Evan said he liked attending litter picks as it was "good for the environment" and mostly found cans and bottles

Evan, nine, said he had found "funny things" including a £20 note and believed he was marking a difference to the community.

"I wish people wouldn't drop litter," he said.

"Last weekend we found a Coca Cola can in some undergrowth with an expiry day of 2008, it hasn't moved in 14 years." 

Northants Litter Wombles have more than 3,000 members all over the county

"We have recruited children via the assemblies who have in turn recruited their parents to come to our Womble Litter Picks in the community - which has led to personal stories of changed behaviours as a result," Mr Potter said.

In nearly two years, the group had grown to 3,200 members, across Northamptonshire, and had collected more than 50,000 bags of rubbish.

Sally Romain, chairman of the group, said the impact it was making to the county was "huge".

There are more than 37 affiliated groups across Northamptonshire collecting litter

"We've turbo-charged people to become aware of litter," she said.

"I was told by a mum, whose eight-year-old attended one of our assemblies, that when he went home he said 'mum you know all that stuff you throw out of the car window, you mustn't do that'.

"That mum and son then came on one of our group litter picks.

"That is so very, very powerful, as we now know we're on the right track addressing litter and fly tipping with children who are the custodians of our planet's future."

A total of 48 bags of rubbish were collected by five people in two hours in Semilong, Northampton, in early December

She said the group, that has been set up officially with local councils to collect the rubbish, had no plans to stop.

"You just can't change people's behaviour immediately, so we're hoping eventually there will be less and less rubbish, as the message gets out to children and adults as well."