CleanupUK has been operating for nearly 20 years and occupies a distinctive position in the environmental sector, combining practical environmental action with community empowerment insome of England’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. These communities are disproportionately affected by litter, so they focus on those in the top 30% of the UK’s Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

They are currently working in 26 local authorities of England including Bristol, supporting disadvantaged communities to help protect their green spaces and build better connected neighbourhoods through volunteer-led cleanup sessions.

Each year, around 4,500 people are supported through their grassroots action which has long-lasting benefits for residents, nature and the environment

Bristol is a vibrant, multi-cultural city but also has several pockets of high deprivation that face a number of social issues and experience high litter levels. It is also one of the UK’s most nature-rich cities with over 400 parks, green spaces and a network of nature reserves and habitats supporting diverse wildlife. However, they are under constant pressure from litter and pollution, especially in more disadvantaged neighbourhoods where there are less high-quality green spaces than in wealthier areas.

Parks, riversides and other spaces are regularly degraded by litter that attracts further littering, antisocial behaviour, dog fouling and drug paraphernalia. All this has a direct impact on residents’ quality of life, their access to time in nature and limits children’s opportunities for outdoor play and engagement with the natural world. This is why our community-led action to improve these spaces is particularly important.

The key objectives in Bristol are to increase the number of our Hubs in time from 3 to 5  and ensure that every hub has a regular litter-picking group attached to it. We see this as critical to increasing activity levels, boosting volunteer numbers, and strengthening community ownership. Overall, the work in Bristol is in a positive position with an active Hub based in each of the following areas:

• Wellspring – serving neighbourhoods in Barton Hill and Lawrence Hill, areas of East Bristol
with high deprivation levels. The Hub continues to perform strongly despite maternity cover arrangements and has an established volunteer cleanup group. Its regular activities are helping to strengthen local ownership and improve the long-term sustainability of
environmental action here.

• Shirehampton – serving neighbourhoods where there are significant pockets of deprivation. The Hub has developed its activities significantly over recent months, with CleanupUK’s litter-picking equipment being shared with other local community groups, helping us to extend the reach and impact of our work.

• Hartcliffe & Withywood – this Hub here serves a community experiencing significant
deprivation, where many residents face poor health, unemployment and the continuing
pressures of the cost-of-living crisis. Cleanup UK recognise both the need and the opportunity to make a lasting difference  Over the coming months intensive support will be provided to recruit and train new volunteers, strengthen community participation, and establish a sustainable, resident-led cleanup group to help improve green spaces and local ecosystems.

Restore Our Planet are pleased to support this excellent project.