The Wiltshire Council’s Don’t Mess with Wiltshire campaign has collected over 9,860kg of litter since February 2023.

The campaign aims to reduce litter in towns, parishes, and litter spots within the vicinity, including the A36 and A303 main roads.

In the Great Big School Clean, 51 schools around the county participated, with their students involved in local litter collections.

As a result, eight schools were selected as winners and were awarded a novelty bin.

All participating schools received a school litter pick kit, including children’s litter pickers, hi-vis vests, and gloves.

Cllr Nick Holder, cabinet member for highways, visited the school alongside representatives from idverde to express gratitude to the children and present their novelty bin.

Eight schools were selected as winners and were awarded a novelty bin.Eight schools were selected as winners and were awarded a novelty bin. (Image: Supplied)

Cllr Holder said: "I’d like to thank all the schools who have got behind this campaign and donated lesson times or break times and organised litter picks in their local areas. The volume of litter collected and the number of hours that have been donated to this cause is fantastic, not just from the schools, but also by local community groups also getting involved – a big thanks to them too.

"If we can encourage more people to help us in the fight against litter, we can spend the money we spend on clearing up litter, currently around £2m per year, on other essential services instead.

"We will continue to carry out regular litter collections on the county’s roads and verges, but we also want continue to encourage others who wish to get involved and do their bit to improve their local landscapes to take part in or organise community litter picks."

The campaign has aggregated roughly 1,650 bags of rubbish through the efforts of community litter picking groups across Wiltshire.

These volunteers have collectively donated around 1,100 hours to help the campaign.

Those interested in information or support relating to a community litter pick should contact wiltshirehelpdesk@idverde.co.uk, and anyone wishing to report litter in Wiltshire can visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywilts.