We are husband and wife volunteers going out and about armed with litter picking sticks, hoops and bags collecting discarded litter from the paths and verges around our beautiful village and surrounding area. We are proud of where we live and by keeping the lanes and village litter free it shows we care about our community. We are sometimes joined by other local volunteers. We are grateful for their help and also for keeping their 'adopted' areas litter free too. All around the UK there are armies of people litter picking, really making a difference to where they live. I find it inspiring to look at FaceBook groups with members sharing their litter picks, they really ARE 'litter heros'!
How did it all begin? In January, 2011, a fly tip of tyres on Risby Road just outside our village was the last straw! Why should our beautiful countryside be spoilt by the thoughtless actions of others? I decided that rather than grumble I would enlist the help of some like minded friends and do something about it. ‘Appleby Litter Pickers’ were established! That first year we cleared litter and fly tip material from all the lanes surrounding Appleby as well as the main roads north to the A1077, south through to Broughton and Brigg. An incredible 2500 sacks were filled, an estimated 20 tons! By 2016 that tally was over 3000 bags! Our tyre tally runs to 100s, TV sets, fridges, drums, and all manner of fly tip waste has been gathered for collection by North Lincs Council.
The verges were very heavily littered when we first started. For example the first time we cleared Risby Road, a 3.4 mile lane, 7 volunteers filled 233 sacks over a three day stint. Now when we perform a monthly ‘walk-up’ on that same stretch we fill around a dozen sacks. Spring 2023 resulted in around 75 bags after the winter break. As of summer 2023 we have filled more than 1200 bags this year alone!
North Lincolnshire Council have provided invaluable support by collecting the accumulated fruits of our labours and promptly attending to larger fly tips when requested.
These days we litter pick on an ad hoc basis. We usually have a good clean up around the area in spring and then tackle the areas we notice that look littered throughout the year. We try and keep Risby Road, Ermine Street north and south of the village for a couple of miles in each direction as well as within the village itself clear of litter. Sometimes we go further afield if the urge takes us!
If you fancy joining in please get in touch with North Lincs Council to find out how you can get hold of equipment, pink bags and where to leave them when full plus advice and support on litter picking in general. Then go out when you feel like it or when you see a littered area!
If you wish to show your support when you see us in action please give us a toot on your horn and a cheery wave (and a wide berth) - a spot of encouragement goes a long way!
Little could be said to beat the sense of achievement when you have litter picked the beautiful lanes surrounding our village. The countryside is transformed! Getting rid of litter really DOES make a difference!
Risby Road and other lanes into Appleby over the last two weeks
32 bags collected
2 pickers
19 January 2024
Logging 50 bags filled during the first 2 weeks of 2024!
50 bags collected
2 pickers
13 September 2023
Summer picks around our village lanes and roadside verges and lay-bys - I have topped 1300 bags now!
240 bags collected
2 pickers
06 June 2022
Adding bags from 2022 that didn't get logged.
400 bags collected
2 pickers
01 October 2019
A quick tally of bags collected from around 2015 to 2019 added to our total (we estimate we are now at around 5000 bags since we started back in 2011!)
1800 bags collected
2 pickers
01 June 0020
Adding bags from 2020 that didn't get logged.
601 bags collected
2 pickers
Litter picking groups
Litter Picking Groups are people who join forces to work towards a cleaner and greener community.
