On 26th March I welcomed back Wychbold First school to the anti-litter campaign and assisted then in participating in Keep Britain Tidy's GBSC 25. A whole school assembly was delivered and 6 litter workshops that seen the pupils collect a whooping 12 bags of litter amounting to a total of 4794 pieces collected altogether. The oldest litter finds were a mars bar packet from 1995, crisp packets from 2002, 2005 and 2000. The children were an absolute credit to their school and should be very proud of their achievements.

On 25th March, I returned to Norton Juxta Kempsey CE Primary School for my third visit to deliver five litter workshops to 137 pupils. The pupils actively participated, ensuring that all pieces of litter, regardless of size, were removed from the environment. They managed to collect seven bags of litter totalling 3199 pieces of litter altogether WOW. School newsletter reads: Little Litter Warriors Tuesday 25th March Thank you so much to everyone for joining in with the Great British Spring Clean! Thank you to pupils in Y4 and Y5 for collecting litter from Norton Parish Park, Year 3 who collected in the alley opposite school and Year 6 picked litter from the local bridle path. Our Year 2 pupils cleared the pavements directly outside school and Years R and 1 collected litter around the school site. Together, we collected 3199 pieces of litter from the school grounds and surrounding local areas. Wow! The oldest piece of litter collected was a drinks can which predated 1989, as well as several crisp packets from the early 2000s. In total we collected 7 large bags of litter which we've logged on the Keep Britain Tidy website. Please continue this fantastic work in your own local areas and we'll join in again next year.

24th March 2025 visit to Upton Upon Severn primary school visit. It was lovely to welcome another Malvern school on to the Anti-litter campaign this visit seen 160 pupils engage in the "Our Planet" assembly and 79 pupils participate in three litter workshops on the school grounds and in the community areas. The children were amazingly enthusiastic after the assembly to become the litter heroes of their school and managed to collect 3903. I do think that is worthy of a heroes title. I really enjoyed visiting a new town but also gutted to see that their town has the same litter issues as most I have been too. The children received many wonderful thank you comments from community members too. A huge well done and I look forward to revisiting in May to complete the other three workshop to the classes that did not get to go on this visit. School Newsletter read: On Monday, we had a guest speaker: Karen Blanchfield from Little Litter Warriors. She talked to us about the five major gyres in our world's oceans, which are huge whirlpools that trap vast amounts of rubbish. The North Pacific gyre alone is estimated to have 3.2 million tonnes of rubbish, covering approximately the same area as Texas. Karen introduced us to a campaigner called Boyan Slat who designed a method of cleaning rivers and oceans that is making an impact on these polluted waterways. To date, 20 million kilograms of rubbish have been removed from rivers and oceans using his invention, and this waste is then recycled properly. Karen shared that statistically, it is more likely that adults are responsible for littering than children, to which the adults in the room were served with judgemental looks from the audience. In fact, Karen's incredibly informative assembly spoke to many of our children, especially after three classes had the opportunity to litter pick. In three hours, the children discovered 3903 pieces of rubbish in their local environment and they were incensed. Year 3 has been writing to their local MP, Severn Trent Water and other key local figures to share how they feel about how their environment is being cared for. We have really enjoyed supporting the children in their courageous advocacy for their future planet. Read more here: 28th March 25 newsletter https://www.uptonprimary.education/newsletters-1/ Some of the pupils vintage finds below 2001, 2006 & 2012.

On 19th & 20th March 2025, I visited Abbey Park First and Middle School for six litter workshops and two key stage assemblies. The pupils remembered me from my previous visit and retained much of the information. It always surprises me how much the children collect, even as our community spaces get cleaner each year. They found vintage litter from 2001, 2005, and 2013 in the overgrowth. The children eagerly participated in the workshops, trying to beat previous records. I am proud of this school for its commitment to becoming greener and more eco-friendly, with pupils leading their own litter management on the school grounds.

17th & 18th March 2025 St Mary's RC Primary hosted me for the second year to run the Little Litter Warriors program. It was heartwarming to be remembered by the pupils. The visit was fantastic. Reception and Year 1 played the recycling game and picked litter on site. Year 2 cleaned the school perimeter, Year 3 worked behind the school in car park areas, Years 4 and 5 went to the local park, and Year 6 cleaned the community area. Together, they collected 5,326 pieces of litter, with the oldest item dating back to 1993. The children and staff were a credit to their school and community. Wychavon district council fund the educational visits for all their district school find out more here https://www.wychavon.gov.uk/environmental-crime/free-litter-education-sessions-for-schools

On 12th March I welcomed Welland Primary school aboard our districts anti-litter campaign. We completed a whole school assembly that seen many hand raised to ask question after that was lovey to see such passion and interest on this topic. Our first workshop was with reception class that seen them litter pick their school grounds collecting 348 pieces of litter. The other 4 workshops seen us head out in to the local community where the children hunted out litter dating back decades and filled their buckets with an astonishing 2875 pieces collected in total. Karen's comments: It was so exciting welcoming another Malvern district school on to the program and adding this school to the Worcestershire schools engagement list. I was welcomed with beautifully enthusiastic children that just engaged in such an positive way when cleaning up litter that others had dropped in their community. Well done to all the pupils and teachers at Welland you did your community proud. Malvern District council are funding the litter workshops 100% free to their schools as part of their Anti-litter campaign.

Let’s give a huge shout out to the pupils of Upton Snodsbury CofE First School who yesterday took part in three litter workshops clearing up their school and community areas. The pupils were an absolute credit to their school teachers removing 1058 pieces of litter from the environment. Their oldest litter piece was dated 2013 just wow. Well done children you have protected animals from being hurt by litter and made your community areas sparkle. Karen's Comments: This is my forth visit to Upton Snodsbury first school and it's like going home as the children are always excited for their litter hunting workshops. Finding litter still that is decades old, bring items out of the environment year after year shows there is always more to be hunted out. The pupils have got it down to a tea though shocking me even more at their determination and passion to keep Britain tidy is lovely to witness.

24th Feb 2025 visit A huge shout out to the pupils of Holy Redeemer Catholic Primary School because today they smashed it at litter picking their community spaces. The total amount picked was 3464 pieces of litter. The workshop finds in year 1 was litter dating back 13 years from the school’s perimeter. Year 3&4 found litter dating 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009. Karen's comment "Well done children such a great effort all around, I have never seen so much litter come out of one community hedgerow". Wychavon sponsor the litter picking workshop to all their district schools. Shaping future behaviours is a must ensuring these children grow to respect their community environment.

Leigh & Bransford Primary School. Year 4 worked towards their environment topic with a short classroom show and tell rubbish talk followed by a big school clean litter pick. The pupils were an absolute pleasure to teach and their enthusiasm to the litter hunt ensured 1386 pieces of litter was removed from their school site. With the oldest piece dating back 8 years. The pupils showed fantastic knowledge about how they could all contribute to looking after their community and how we can all help to keep wildlife habitats safe. A huge well done to all the children from Leigh & Bransford Primary School. Teacher comments: "Karen was engaging and knowledgeable about all things litter. She delivered an interesting workshop, where the children got to safely handle the litter she had found with previous school children and with her family. There were pieces of litter which were over 50 years old, clearly emphasising that our plastic wrappers don't rot away. The class loved getting out with the litter pickers and collected 1386 pieces! Thank you Karen, you have inspired Year 4 to keep our school and community tidy!" Malvern Hills District Council are funding their districts schools the little litter warriors for 2025. It was a huge success yesterday as we welcomed our first Malvern school onto our #antilittercampaign