Little Litter Warriors
Little Litter Warriors
Little litter warriors receives a Prime Ministers award

I was absolutely delighted to be awarded by the Prime Minister in March 24 for a Points Of Light award.
Karen Blanchfield from Worcestershire, set up her ‘Little Litter Warriors’ programme in 2020 to educate and engage school children across the local area about litter and looking after community spaces.
Karen has been a community litter picker since 2018 and is an Ambassador for ‘Keep Britain Tidy’. Backed with funding from her council, Karen works closely with schools, local authorities and youth groups to deliver the programme with a hands-on approach to highlight the issue of litter pollution in a fun and engaging way.
Through the initiative, Karen provides all schools and community groups in the area with an educational litter programme and litter pick workshops that have engaged over 18,000 children in regular litter-picking activities over the last three years.
The award for Karen coincides with the ‘Great British Spring Clean’ annual campaign which runs from 15 to 31 March, bringing together individuals, community organisations, businesses and councils to come together and help make a difference to the environment.
Congratulating Karen on her award, Nigel Huddleston, Karen’s local MP for Mid Worcestershire, said:
“I am delighted to see Karen Blanchfield receive the recognition she deserves for all her hard work in launching her ‘Little Litter Warriors’ programme. The scheme has involved over 18,000 of our young people, making a huge difference in our local communities. I look forward to being able to congratulate Karen personally on the outstanding achievement of being awarded a Point of Lights award.”
Keep Britain Tidy CEO, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said:
“The work that Karen does in her local area with ‘Little Litter Warriors’, and engaging volunteers all over Wychavon is an absolute inspiration to us all. The amount of energy and determination she brings to this important work is second-to-none.
“Karen has been a Keep Britain Tidy #LitterHeroes Ambassador for several years and is an incredible advocate for our work, going above and beyond to help us shine a light on the vital role of volunteers. Karen is a very special person to us; her passion is palpable and we are so proud to collaborate with her on our joint mission to end litter”.
Karen said:
“I am delighted to have been chosen for this award in recognition for the passion I have in educating children about the impact of litter pollution in our communities. This award I share with all the children who enthusiastically continue to make a difference in their communities after being inspired by the ‘Little Litter Warriors’ educational workshops.”
https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/little-litter-warriors/

πβ¨ Incredible effort from Norton Juxta Kempsey Primary School! β¨π Over the course of six litter workshops, our amazing pupils rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in collecting an incredible 3,627 pieces of litter from our local area! ππͺ What made it even more fascinating was discovering so much vintage litter along the way. From retro crisp packets to decades-old wrappers and bottles, it was like uncovering a time capsule of packaging history. The children were amazed to see how some items had been sitting in the environment for years a powerful reminder of why reducing waste and disposing of litter properly is so important. By the end of the workshops, buckets were filled, teamwork was shining, and everyone had learned just how big a difference small actions can make. π±ποΈ A huge well done to all the pupils and staff for their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment to caring for our community. You are environmental champions! π

Little Litter Warriors Visit St Joseph’s RC Primary School, Droitwich Spa. This week Little Litter Warriors visited St Joseph’s RC Primary School in Droitwich as part of their mission to care for our local environment and inspire young eco-champions. Across two action-packed days, pupils from Reception through to Year 6 took part in litter-picking activities both on-site and out in the local community. From the school playground and car park to nearby parks and community areas, the children worked tirelessly to make a difference. Timetable Highlights: • Whole School Assembly to launch the event • Reception & KS1 pupils tackled playground and school grounds • KS2 pupils headed off-site to local parks and community spaces • Staff and parent volunteers supported throughout π§π¦ Children involved: Over 175 pupils participated across all year groups. π Total litter collected: An amazing 7,196 pieces of litter removed from the local environment! A total of 13 bags collected altogether. π competition results: • Year 6 collected the most litter with 2,228 pieces • Year 2 discovered the “oldest” find from 1995 a walkers crisp packet. Other vintage finds were from 1998, 1999, 2004 upwards to the present day. The visit perfectly reflected the school’s ethos: “We are Stewards of God’s Creation.” Pupils showed fantastic teamwork, responsibility and pride in caring for their community. A huge thank you to the staff, volunteers and, of course, the children of St Joseph’s for being such enthusiastic Little Litter Warriors. Together, we are making Droitwich Spa cleaner and greener! #LittleLitterWarriors is free to all schools under Wychavon, Malvern and Wyre Forest council areas.

The circular economy is a transformative way of thinking about how we design, make, use, and manage products and materials so they never become waste and nature is regenerated. Instead of the traditional take, make, dispose model, a circular economy keeps materials and products in use for as long as possible through repairing, reusing, refurbishing, remanufacturing and recycling, while also supporting regeneration of natural systems. This approach is driven by three core principles: 1. Eliminate waste and pollution by designing them out of systems. 2.Circulate products and materials at their highest value through reuse, repair, refurbishment, and recycling. 3.Regenerate nature by returning biological materials safely to the environment and using renewable energy. This model isn’t just good for the planet — it also fosters innovation, economic resilience, and new ways of thinking about value. π Why Schools Should Teach Circular Economy Understand resource limits and how waste affects our environment. Develop creative problem-solving skills as they design solutions for real waste and resource challenges. Connect sustainability with subjects like science, art, economics, and social studies. Build lifelong green habits in reducing, reusing and rethinking consumption.

Monday 9th February 2026, Upton Snodsbury Primary School took to their community with little Litter warriors collecting an impressive 1,224 pieces of litter from their shared community spaces. Their effort shows how small actions can spark bigger conversations about how we use, reuse, and value resources. Finding litter dating back decades is fun for the pupils, teacher and us however the message it holds is always much more powerful. The introduction of a circular economy in education is about redesigning how things are made, bought, and used—moving away from throwaway habits and towards smarter, more sustainable ways of sharing resources. Every step can introduce cost effective ways of running schools, less wastefulness is needed and restoring harmony in school spaces is key. A huge congratulations to the pupils for their efforts litter picking and also the classroom activity workshops on recycling, waste, wildlife etc we’ll Done. It’s always a pleasure returning to visit and teach a school as passionate as I am about changing for the greener side.

Volunteers who pick litter deserve thanks, not expectations. They step up because they care about their communities, not because it’s their responsibility. Joining a council initiative like “Adopt a Street” does not mean taking on the duties of the council. It means choosing to volunteer — to help, not to replace paid services or quietly plug funding gaps. At the same time, we all have a role to play. The public should take their litter home and make simple individual choices to keep communities litter-free — for the sake of wildlife, nature, and the places we all share. That’s why it still matters: councils need more money in their budgets to provide vital environmental services. Clean streets, safe roadsides, and protected green spaces are essential public services and require proper, sustained investment. Community pride and public responsibility can coexist. Volunteers add value. Individuals must act responsibly And councils must be funded to deliver. π Support volunteers. π― Take litter home. ποΈ Fund councils properly. π± Protect wildlife and our shared environment.

For my 20th wedding anniversary my husband brought me to Gothenburg, πΈπͺ this week. Why my passion for environmental change. After studying this city and now experiencing it, I really love Gothenburg because sustainability just feels… normal here. Reuse isn’t a special initiative, it’s part of everyday life. Waste is treated as something that can move in circles, not something that disappears. The streets are clean, there’s very little litter, and shared green mobility is everywhere — all quietly encouraging better habits without making a big fuss about it. It’s a city designed to help people do the right thing. No guilt, no pressure — just smart systems, thoughtful planning, and a shared sense of responsibility. Gothenburg shows that reducing, reusing and public behaviours with our environmental impact doesn’t have to be complicated. When reuse, circular waste flows, and care for public spaces are built in, sustainability becomes something everyone can take part in. Speaking with locals it’s been a huge joint human effort from residents, businesses and updated systems introduced to achieve it all. Well done Gothenburg it’s a real pleasure visiting your cold but inspirational city. #BYOC

What an amazing visit last week to Leigh’s & Bransford Primary School with the fantastic Year 4 class π The pupils took part in an interactive classroom workshop on plastic pollution, learning how litter from our communities doesn’t just stay local — it impacts our oceans π, green spaces πΏ and shared areas we all use. The learning quickly turned into action as the class headed out on a litter pick and collected an incredible 1,283 pieces of litter π€―π Their focus, teamwork and determination were outstanding, showing just how powerful young people can be when they work together for their environment. The enthusiasm and care these pupils showed for their school and wider community was truly inspiring β¨ They are proving that change starts with awareness — and grows through action. Huge well done to the Year 4 pupils at Leigh’s & Bransford — true Little Litter Warriors and everyday environmental heroes πͺπ± Want to join in the with the community actions join https://www.malvernhills.gov.uk/join-the-adopt-a-street....

What an incredible day visiting St Wulstan’s RC Primary School in Stourport! π The pupils took part in two hands-on litter workshops and a whole school assembly exploring Our Planet π — and how litter dropped inland doesn’t just disappear, but can travel all the way to our oceans π. During the litter pick, the children uncovered items dating back to 1991, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2013… right through to 2026 π€― — a powerful reminder of how long litter can stay in our environment. Year 6 pupils collected 706 pieces of litter and year 5 pupils picked up 1111 pieces of litter. Year 6 pupils found the oldest piece dating 1991. Even in rainy conditions βοΈ, the pupils showed incredible passion, determination and teamwork, picking up every single piece they could find. Their enthusiasm was unstoppable and truly inspiring β¨ These pupils are true heroes of their community, proving that caring for our planet starts locally and that small actions make a big difference πͺπ± Huge well done, St Wulstan’s — the future of our planet is in safe hands ππ Want to be a community hero? Sign up to adopt your street too. https://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/.../commu.../adopt-a-street/ Wyre Forest District Council Keep Britain Tidy #stourport


