Litter picking co-ordinator volunteer

Litter picking co-ordinator

Royston Environmental Group is a volunteer-run group that aims to improve the environment in the Royston area and globally. We want to bring together the residents of the Royston area and foster a better understanding of environmental issues and what you can do to help. We organise a variety of events and initiatives from Green Festivals to litter picks to Plastic Free Royston. Collaboration with other local groups and institutions is key to what we do. 

The role: 

You will be confident to use Google Forms or another means of collecting advance registrations, as well as WhatsApp and location apps such as What3Words for use on the day. Arranging litter picks takes little time; maybe an hour or so on top of the actual picking time, split into 10 mins here and there for the various tasks. 

Litter picking is a social and fun activity that requires a basic level of fitness (standing and walking slowly for ca. 1 hour, carrying bags of collected waste). We tend to send volunteers out in groups of 2-3 and reconvene at a central point after about an hour. In future we would like to consider meeting up near a cafe where social chat can be continued.

• Select date and meeting point for litter pick by discussion with others.
• Advertise and create sign up form. 
• Arrange collection of waste after the event with NHC/Veolia (simple form must be done several weeks in advance).
• Arrange to have litter pickers (either from Royston Town Council, NHC or by borrowing from FOTH).
• On the day: 
• Know who will be turning up (from advance registration form). 
• Bring relevant equipment including high vis tops and first aid kit. 
• Ensure everyone follows and is aware of safety guidance. 
• Know roughly where each group of volunteers will be heading. If a lot of people attend this can be done by using a sketch map though often this is unnecessary as there will only be 2 or 3 groups.
• Co-ordinate the event via WhatsApp and delete group afterwards. 
• Arrange for any reported fly tipping or hazardous waste to be reported to NHC as such.
• OPTIONAL: If any litter audit for brands etc has been done, arrange for outcomes to be publicised/reported. 

Ideally we would have litter picks every 2-3 months in different parts of Royston and Villages. We try to avoid areas that are already picked by town centre cleaners, green space contractors etc. and concentrate on places that are not regularly covered by council contractors. 

This volunteer role is an ongoing one but without large time commitments unless the volunteer wants to get involved in other aspects of REG’s work also. It would be good to have one person in the role for consistency.