NEXT week will see a small army of volunteers taking to the streets for the "Great Bradford Spring Clean."

Bradford Council is calling on community members across the district to help improve the environment on their doorstep. People are being asked to join forces with community organisations, businesses and the Council to collect and safely dispose of litter from streets, public areas and parks, recycling as much as possible.

As part of The Keep Britain Tidy Group’s national campaign The Great British Spring Clean, which runs from Monday to April 24, Bradford Council is embarking on its own anti-litter campaign, "The Great Bradford Spring Clean."

The authority is asking local residents to get together a group of people to litter pick and clean up any area they wish. The Council will be able to support them by providing bags, gloves, litter pickers and will collect the waste at a given location that has been picked by the volunteers. The authority is now asking groups to let them know where and when the litter picks will take place.

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The Council will also provide specific bags for anyone wanting to keep the plastic bottles they pick separate so that it can be ensured they are easily recycled.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “We all share the miserable experience of seeing litter and fly-tipping on the streets and other public places, so we are asking community-minded people to help us to try and clear them up.

“The Council does not have the finances to employ a vast army of street cleaners to run round after everyone who dumps litter in our district, so we need volunteers to give us a hand. I hope as many people as possible will come forward to take part.

“Many people spring clean inside the home but we are hoping they can find the time to make a difference outside as well. By working together, we can make a big difference.”

Anyone interested in organising a group can get in touch with their local Area Co-ordinators’ Office. They can be contacted on-line or by telephone.

Bradford East: 01274 431066

Bradford South: 01274 431155

Bradford West: 01274 432597

Keighley: 01535 618080

Shipley: 01274 437146.