Little Waldingfield Litter Pick by Brian Tora

Litter piled up at the Parish Rooms

Back towards the end of March our village conducted a litter pick. This is at least the third year we have carried out this exercise and I am delighted to report that, as before, we had no shortage of volunteers to don the High Viz jackets and, armed with stout gloves, bin liners and litter picking implements, venture out on the highways and byways surrounding our village.

Unfortunately, there was no shortage of litter to be collected either. Each year we tentatively hope the message has got across and there will be less strewn around the verges. Each year we suffer the same disappointment. Why do people do it? Some of the rubbish we collected must have necessitated a specific trip to dump the detritus. A suitcase (empty, fortunately), the front fork of a bicycle, several large, metal framed windows – all were left for our sturdy bunch to remove.

In the end the pile of bin liners almost filled the entrance to our Parish Room. We accumulated at least as much as in previous years. On every occasion there are items collected that defy the imagination. A single, perfectly sound, boot. A freezer load of meat. Items of intimate clothing. But, of course, it is the discarded food packaging, plastic bottles and other personal waste that depresses me.

Just as dog waste continues to be raised as an item on the parish council’s agenda (and not just here, either) so the perennial problem of man’s lack of consideration to man constantly reminds us that we are not a very caring race. It is surely not too much to ask drivers to take their rubbish home. We do. Indeed, my wife is regularly adding to the rubbish she collects when taking our dogs for a walk by removing other people’s waste from the side of the road, presumably thrown out by unthinking drivers.

Some years ago, Radio Suffolk launched a campaign to discourage litter dropping. Borrowed from Australia, where apparently one of Mark Murphy’s friends had spotted the slogan, Suffolk residents were exhorted not to drop litter by the phrase with the all too clear double meaning – “Don’t be a Tosser!” So successful has the media campaign been that it has been adopted by adjacent counties and even received a mention on Radio 2 recently.

But, without wishing to take away anything from Mark and his colleagues at Radio Suffolk, I gain the impression that the main result has been to encourage little groups like ours all around the county to clean up their communities. Recently, while driving to the West Midlands, we came across a village task force out in some strength to tidy up their roadsides. While I am sure such initiatives are far from new, it strikes me that Mark’s campaign has put fresh impetus into clearing up after inconsiderate litter droppers.

It would all be so much easier if people just observed some simple rules and remembered that we all benefit from a cleaner environment. Much the same approach applies to dog dirt as well. I’m not holding my breath, though. Next year, when I’m sure a similar exercise will take place, I’ll bet we have just as many bags for the district council to cart away. In the meantime, my sincere thanks to those who helped in this year’s litter pick.

Brian Tora is Chairman of Little Waldingfield Parish Council.