STREET LITTER PICKS
We organise regular litter picks in towns and villages across Suffolk including Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe and beyond. We cover streets, parks and other public spaces.
We also incorporate time in green spaces wherever possible. It’s amazing how much wildlife you spot when you are out litter picking.
If we tackle the litter in our towns we can prevent it from reaching our rivers.
If you would like us to organise a litter pick in your area then get in touch.
RIVER CLEANS
We hold regular river cleans along the Orwell and Gipping in and around Ipswich and find LOTS of litter (and other debris).
If litter finds it’s way into our rivers it’s highly likely to find it’s way to the oceans.
Our walks are not just about the litter. We take time to breath and take in the stunning wildlife and scenery too.
Come and join us on an early morning river clean along the Deben at Woodbridge and marvel at the incredible saxon sunrises over Sutton Hoo or the stunning views from under the Orwell Bridge.
BEACH CLEANS
Come and join us on one of our beach cleans along the fabulous Suffolk coast.
From Lowestoft, the most easterly beach in the UK, to Landguard Point Felixstowe, the busiest container port in the UK.
Every piece of litter we pick up on our beaches is one less piece in the ocean.
We try to visit every Suffolk beach at least once a year.
And remember – there’s always treasure in the trash. We take time to notice the natural treasures too. Fossils, amber, shells and sea glass.
* We provide all equipment – Litter pickers, bag rings, bags, gloves, hi-vis vest etc. We also carry out risk assessments and carry other safety equipment such as sharps bin and first aid kit.
We love to collaborate with local and national groups to support their campaigns too. If you would like to collaborate or need help organising your first event feel free to get in touch.
FAQs
Want to find out more about how you can make the maximum impact with each step? Here are answers to 7 of the most frequently asked questions…
What’s so great about going for a Rubbish Walk?
Where do we start?! Walking is great for your head, your heart and your wallet. Pick up litter along the way and its great for the environment too.
Who needs a gym?! Going for a regular walk is an excellent way to to stay active and to improve your overall fitness. It can be a lot less intense than other forms of exercise so almost anyone can do it. Walking anywhere is good for you but get plenty of ‘Green Exercise’ (walking in green spaces and connecting with nature) is proven to reduce stress, improve your mood, enhances psychological wellbeing and improves your attention and concentration.
Picking up litter as you walk adds an extra element of exercise. The extra bending and twisting can help with flexibility.
Going for a Rubbish Walk can be a great way to combat loneliness and a feeling of isolation. It’s an ideal activity to do with family and friends and it’s a great way to meet new people too.
Picking up litter as you go also helps the environment and keeps your local community looking cleaner and tidier.
In short it makes you feel good while you do good.
What equipment do I need to do a Rubbish Walk?
For a general Rubbish Walk, not much at all. Assuming you already have comfy clothing and suitable footwear the only additional things recommended are a pair of gloves and something to put any litter you collect in as you walk. It’s always handy to have a carrier bag, a jute bag or a bin bag in your coat pocket!
If you intend going for extended Rubbish Walks such as a Beach Clean, River Clean or extended Street Clean then investing in a litterpicker and a bag hoop is a wise decision. The litterpicker makes it easier and sometimes safer to pick up litter and the bag hoop helps to keep your bag open making it easier and quicker to pop any litter inside.
Make sure you follow us on social media and read our blog updates as we’ll be sharing lots more tips and advice on a regular basis about litterpicking equipment and organising larger Rubbish Walks.
Where could I go for a Rubbish Walk?
You can go for a Rubbish Walk anywhere. Here’s a few suggestions to start you off. How about treating the list as a checklist and try to tick each one off as you do it?!
- Around your neighbourhood
- To/from your local shops
- On the school run
- On your way to work
- Around your school grounds
- In a local park
- Along a river
- Along a beach
- In a woodland
- On a nature reserve
I own a business. How can we get involved?
There are two ways you can get involved.
Why not create your own Rubbish Walks group and go for lunchtime Rubbish Walks? It’s a great way to keep employees fresh and alert plus its an ideal way to show your customers that your care about the local community.
Rubbish Walks is completely self funded. We do as much as we can with the resources available but we could do a whole lot more. If you love what we do and would like to show your support by offering funding or sponsorship we would love to hear from you.
Who should I ask to get involved?
Friends, family and work colleagues are a good place to start. Are you a member of a local club? How about asking club members?
If you don’t have a suitable group near you why not start your own? Get in touch and we’ll help you set something up.
How do I encourage others to get involved?
The easiest way to encourage others to get involved is to be as active as you can in your own efforts and then chat about what you are up to with friends and family. Share lots of photos on social media too using the hashtags #MyPlasticPromise and #RubbishWalks.
Try not to tell people what they should and should not be doing (unless they ask you directly for advice of course). Instead, be enthusiastic about your own efforts and share with them what you are up to. Hopefully your enthusiasm will inspire them to think about the issues and encourage them to get involved too.
What more can I do?
Do some or all of the above and you’ll already being doing an incredible job, but if you want to go that extra mile why not try some of these suggestions…
- Ask local businesses to reduce the amount of single use plastic they use.
- Become familiar with the recycling facilities run by your local authority.
- Look for missing opportunities for reducing waste within your community and share your thoughts with the appropriate parish council or governing body.
- Think of something else we could be doing here at Rubbish Walks to inspire others and let us know. We love to hear new ideas and suggestions and will incorporate as many as we can where appropriate.
BESPOKE EVENTS
Organising a litter pick or beach clean event for your business or group can be quite time consuming, especially if you want to do it safely and effectively. There are lots of things to plan and think about. For example – location, health & safety, risk assessments, equipment, leading the event on the day, registering with your local authority if needed etc.
Save the time and stress and let us do it all for you. Prices start from £120 for up to 20 participants. And remember – Rubbish Walks is a social enterprise. All profits are used to fund new and ongoing projects in our local community. Every bespoke event booked will also pay for a school assembly visit by one of the Rubbish walks team. That’s great for your business, great for the local community and great for the environment too.
Complete the form below and let’s get something organised. Go on, do it now before you forget.