Want to start litter picking? Keep Wales Tidy can help with its new hub

People who want to make a difference to their local environment through litter picking can get help at a new ‘hub’ at Newbridge Leisure Centre.

Opened by charity Keep Wales Tidy, the hub can lend equipment such as hi-vis jackets, bags, and pickers to volunteers for free. It is the 11th of its kind to open in Caerphilly County Borough.

The aim is to encourage more people to organise their own community litter picks.

To mark the opening of the Newbridge hub, Keep Wales Tidy worked with Caerphilly County Borough Council and Newbridge Comprehensive School to arrange a rubbish pick in and around Newbridge.

Pupils, teachers, school staff and residents all took part in the clean-up, using equipment borrowed from the new hub.

Andy King, who is the Caerphilly Project Officer for Keep Wales Tidy, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Newbridge Leisure Centre to our litter picking hubs family here in Caerphilly. Locals can borrow litter picking equipment from the centre for free to help keep Newbridge litter free.

“We encourage individuals, businesses and groups to make good use of these new facilities to play a part in improving their local environment.”

The hubs are part of Keep Wales Tidy’s Caru Cymru initiative, which aims to tackle litter and reduce waste.

The scheme has been funded by European Union money through the Welsh Government’s Rural Development 2014 to 2020 programme.

Where are the other litter picking hubs?

Litter picking equipment can be borrowed from hubs based at the following locations:

• Abertridwr Library
• Bargoed Library
• BTM Community Council offices, Bedwas
• Blackwood Library
• Caerphilly Library
• Newbridge Leisure Centre
• Rhymney Library
• Risca Library
• Salvaged Creations Wales I-Make, Markham
• The Parish Trust, Trethomas
• Ystrad Mynach Library

More information on the hubs and how to borrow equipment can be found on Keep Wales Tidy’s website.