Last updated at 14:34, Tuesday, 19 June 2012

COMMUNITIES across Barrow, Millom and Ulverston are set to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in to the Big Clean from today.

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The Big Clean, now in its second year, has been backed by Centrica, Barrow Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council and South Lakeland District Council and runs until June 22.

A packed programme will see events take place from Bootle to Windermere as residents do their bit to tackle South and West Cumbria’s grotspots.

During last year’s campaign, more than one and a half tonnes of rubbish was collected in Barrow alone.

Councillor Allan Holliday, Copeland Borough Council portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, welcomed the Bootle clean up.

He said: “We are pleased to support the Evening Mail’s Big Clean campaign, which is a fantastic way for the community and organisations work together to help value and improve the environment they work in.

“We all know that a clean and tidy environment is important to both local people and visitors alike, and is a huge part of the impression we have of an area.

“The campaign is especially helpful to a local authority like ourselves as there are some areas that we do not have a responsibility for but, like everyone, are keen to see tidied up.

“We will do all that we can to support the community and the Evening Mail in this work.

“We are lucky here in Copeland to live and work in one of the most beautiful areas of the county, so it is a real shame that some people choose to drop litter and make a mess of it.”

Big Clean schedule:

• On Monday, Penny Bridge School will have a community clean up from 9am.
• On Tuesday, Ulverston in Bloom will be joining forces with the Big Clean to clean up County Road, near the public library, from 10am.
• At 10.30am the clean up will hit Askam beach and the Duddon Road car park while across the estuary a team of volunteers will be cleaning the park surrounding Millom Palladium in St George’s Road.
• On Wednesday, events are taking place in Tudor Square, Dalton, from 10am, and at 10.30am in on West Shore, Walney, meeting at the Earnse Bay car park.
• At 6.30pm, a team of volunteers will meet in The Gill and Stanley Street, in Ulverston.
• On Thursday, Dowdales School will be cleaning up the school field, at 10.30am Roanhead beach will be cleaned, and pupils from George Romney School will be cleaning the park in Chapel Street, Dalton.
• In Millom volunteers will be cleaning up the RSPB reserve in Hodbarrow on Thursday from 10am to 2pm.
• On Friday, Chester Street in Barrow will be cleaned from 10.30am and the week will be rounded off by a clean in Island Road, Barrow, at 2pm.
• Schools in the Lake District will be taking part in clean ups in their schools as part of Winderclean, the Lake District National Park’s clean-up initiative, which will join forces with the Big Clean.

Furness Academy pupils, police officers, councillors and Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock have pledged their time to take part in the campaign.

If your school, community group or street is organising an event we would like to hear from you. We would also like to hear from you if you want to nominate an area in need of a Big Clean.

If you know of a grotspot that needs tackling we still want to hear from you.

To nominate an area for a clean up or to alert us to your event, contact reporter Will Metcalfe on 01229 840186 or email will.metcalfe@nwemail.co.uk with Big Clean in the subject panel.

First published at 10:38, Saturday, 16 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk