Just how did I get so involved in litter?
Scroll down to see my journey so far!
The very start...
circa 1968: Lisvane Primary School Cardiff, learning about the importance of looking after our environment in Mrs Evans’ primary school class.
I can still see the image of a dead mouse stuck inside a discarded glass jar. 😥
A busy mum!
circa 2000: a typical mum running with a 3 year old in a shopping laden buggy, rushing to the car to collect the older 3 from school and whoosh … the buggy wheels ….. went right in some dog mess!
Stepping up..
2007: Joined Galston Community Council
First litter pick organised
2011: Organised my first litter pick, with over 100 volunteers. I recollect the image of Joe Fitzpatrick and team out early so that they could get to the football!
Picking up again!
2012: Community litter picks become annual events
More cleaning things up!
2013: Community litter picks continue as annual events
Litter in schools programme
2014: I Worked very closely with staff and pupils at Loudoun Academy, and with Galston Community Council, we developed the fore runner to what has become the Litter In Schools programme
Building collaborations
2015: I started working closely with the charity and campaign group Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB)
Growing Frustration with rubbish
2016: During 2016, I became very frustrated with carrying out litter picks, then, 20 minutes or so later, the roadside debris would start to reappear and declared something (someone!) should do something.
I decided to stand as a councillor, so that I could try to change the system that has allowed our country to become so filthy.
Time to start making a difference!
2017: Stood as a candidate in the local elections, set up The Rubbish Party.
Got elected in may 2017.
Continued working with communities with the reactive litter picks, but commenced proactive work.
Effective change!
2019: First motion to council to ask support to set up a cross ward, cross party group to include council officers to address our litter problem.
This was unanimously supported; the group was set up. The first piece of work was the further development of the Litter in Schools programme. A trial in ward 6 schools proved very successful with immediate behaviour change by pupils. Agreement was then made to role the programme out to all schools.
The premise is simple, engage, educate and enforce – where necessary.
In all of the schools where we routinely roll out the programme, it works. I campaign tirelessly to encourage east Ayrshire officers to use the programme.
Raising the stakes!
2021: March 2021 Motion to council gained cross party and unanimous support to ask SG (Scottish Government) to take effective action in relation to Litter and fly tipping.
Later in 2021 Scottish Government launches a consultation on litter and fly tipping (I recognise that this was not as a result of my request!)
Parts of this (SG) programme are now being rolled out.
How do we measure its success – Look at the State of our Nation
The Scream: How the litter problem makes me feel!
Where are we now?
I am an optimistic person by nature, but I genuinely despair at the inability of all political parties and agencies to address the problem of litter.
I have worked tirelessly within the constraints of our regulatory framework to clean up our country.
Successive UK governments have consistently greenwashed failed public policy by ineffective delegation of anti-littering ‘initiatives’ to charities.
This is coupled with a further abdication of responsibility by government to ‘community heroes’ these are the thousands of volunteers & community groups who spend hours and hours clearing litter every week that ineffective government policy has failed to prevent.
“We have an emergency looming hidden in plain sight…..litter” Keep Scotland Beautiful 2017 – what’s changed?
What’s next ?
I have commenced an anti-roadside litter campaign which will continue through 2025
