Farnham Town Council is recruiting a team of volunteer litter pickers to help keep Farnham tidy.

The Bloomin’ Litter initiative encourages local people to pick an area they would like to help keep litter-free. Throughout the year, the volunteers will carry out regular litter picks of their chosen area, which could be close to where they live or a road they regularly walk.

The initiative is the idea of John Ely who is a member of the Farnham in Bloom Community Group.

Farnham Town Council will provide all necessary equipment including litter pickers, waste bags, gloves and high visibility jackets. Should it be needed, help can also be provided to dispose of the collected rubbish.

Councillor Stephen Hill, Lead Member for Community Enhancement says: “Litter does absolutely nothing to enhance an area and it costs councils a lot of money to pick it up; money which could be better spent. While there is no doubt that it would be better if people did not drop their rubbish in the first place, it is a sad reality that there are number of people who persist in this anti-social behaviour.

“So far, 21 people from Badshot Lea, Heath End, Weybourne, central Farnham, Upper Hale, Wrecclesham and South Farnham have signed up to be volunteer litter pickers. We will be very grateful to hear from anybody else who can spare a little time to join the team and help improve Farnham’s environment.”

Bloomin’ Litter also includes a project to reduce the number of cigarette butts that litter the streets. The Town Council is asking the public to nominate a problem area that they feel would benefit from the installation of an ashtray. This could be outside a building where smokers congregate, at a bus stop or by a seating area.

Councillor Stephen Hill says: “Since smoking was banned inside public places, smokers have taken to the streets. While many dispose of their cigarette ends correctly, there are a few that just drop them on the ground. To help alleviate this problem, we have a number of ashtrays which we would like to install in problem areas but we need the public’s help to decide where they should be put.”

Anybody that would like to volunteer as a year-round litter picker or who would like to put forward an area that would benefit from an ashtray, should contact Lara Prior on 01252 712667 or email lara.prior@farnham.gov.uk. 

Farnham in Bloom is sponsored by:

• Corporate sponsor: BBS Ltd
• Gold sponsors: The Patio Black Spot Removal Company Ltd, Graduate Landscapes, The Farnham Institute, Forest Lodge and Squire’s Garden Centre

Silver sponsor: Bourne Valley Contractors