Clean and tidy streets not only look better, but they’re also good for our wellbeing and help us all feel proud about where we live.
That’s why we’re putting all our efforts into collecting your bins on time and keeping our streets and green spaces clean to help make Barking and Dagenham cleaner and greener.
But we can only do so much. If we’re to win the war against waste, we need the help of local heroes who give up their time to tidy.
The Wall of Fame is dedicated to our fantastic community champions as we say a huge THANK YOU for all their fantastic work.
Find out more about the great work volunteers are doing in our borough below and if you know a person or a group who should be added to the Wall of Fame, please let us know! Get in touch by emailing socialmedia@lbbd.gov.uk.
If you’re feeling inspired and want to join a community litter pick, you can find out more about local litter picking events or you can arrange your own clean-up event.
Marks Gate Relief Project
The Marks Gate Relief Project is mostly made up of women from the local community, who decided to tackle litter in Marks Gate! Their collective aim is to protect and preserve the natural beauty of the green spaces in Marks Gate, while also protecting the local wildlife.
This group of like-minded individuals regularly take part in lots of great social projects, all with one sole aim: benefiting their local community. The positive effects of their missions are far reaching, helping all areas of the community. Some of their projects include running community kitchens, organising clothing and food banks, running youth clubs, providing debt advice, and hosting Go Green initiatives such as gardening, tree planting and of course, litter picks!
The group recently carried out a really successful litter pick at Tantony Green, borrowing litter picking equipment from the council.
Asma Haq, founder of the Marks Gate Relief Project, said: “It’s important to encourage others to do their bit for the neighbourhood because everybody can contribute in their own way and we must never forget that every little counts!
“At our recent litter picking event we met several like-minded people who joined us. It was great to make friends with people who care about the environment and show great concern for keeping the local area clean. It’s an excellent way to give back to the community and makes us feel immensely humbled to receive thankyous from complete strangers during our litter pick.”
The Marks Gate Relief Project has hugely impacted the local area with their wonderful work and continues to go from strength to strength. Well done everyone, and keep up the good work!
Roding Rubbish
From one resident’s concern about litter, to a thriving community group that has welcomed more than 50 different volunteers and cleared over 3,000 bags of rubbish, Roding Rubbish demonstrates just what can happen when likeminded people get together and take action.
Meeting on the last Sunday of every month, the group regularly sees people from all walks of life volunteering alongside others they may otherwise never had the chance to speak to. They also support residents and families who may want to carry out local litter picks near where they live.
The group receives support from the council to arrange the collection of the bags of rubbish, as well as to borrow all the clean-up tools that are needed – so volunteers can just turn-up and everything they need to get involved is available.
This working together approach is something the group recognises is really important if the borough is to be tidied up. “We just get out there and do something about the rubbish we see, and in the process, meet supportive and caring, like-minded people from the local area” says regular volunteer Steve.
“Volunteers always say that they love the events as they get to know people from the community they wouldn’t normally meet. And sometimes great friends are made.
“What’s great too is that litter picking sparks conversations about civic pride and how litter can be prevented in the first place. And it’s been proven that connecting with people and places in the area you live supports wellbeing and mental health – which is now more important than ever after the last two years.”
Do you want to join Roding Rubbish and do your bit for a Cleaner Barking and Dagenham?
You can find out more about the group, including upcoming litter picking events by visiting their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Eventbrite pages. You can also get in touch by emailing rodingrubbish@gmail.com.
The Little Litter League, Dagenham
The Little Litter League launched in response to the amount of rubbish its founder, Emdad, saw while out jogging around Barking and Dagenham. What started as a simple idea, soon grew into a grime-busting group, helped to create a community of new friends and proved to have just as big an impact on the people involved, as it did on the spaces being spruced up.
“Our community is a reflection of us, and a clean and pleasant local area not only looks good, but has a massive impact on our visual, physical and mental wellbeing,” says Emdad, who said volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, turned up alone, with friends or family as they helped get stuck in and tidy up areas to restore pride in the neighbourhood.
Since beginning the Little Litter League, Emdad says it has shown just how big an issue rubbish is, as well as how dangerous it can be for our wildlife. That’s why he cleans almost every day, to help do his bit to preserve areas for future generations to enjoy, and why he is keen that schools help educate young people about littering and the impact of rubbish on society.
If you’d like to contact the Little Litter League, email hoc.gorsebrook@gmail.com.
Eastbury Community School
Eastbury Community school pupils are serious about creating a cleaner and greener school and borough for young people and residents.
The school’s young people created an Eco Squad in 2020 and carried out a survey to identify what environment issues mattered to pupils, creating green objectives. The school agreed that their top priorities were to reduce litter, cut down on waste and to recycle more.
Pupils held a special recycling meeting with the school council and senior leadership team to talk about how they could do more to create a greener school environment.
They developed a fun recycling poster campaign and the top three posters are now used across the school to remind everyone to recycle as much as they can! They also developed a points system, providing points to pupils who recycle things, including crisp packets, to get more youngsters recycling.
What’s more, the Eco Squad planted trees in the school which were provided by the Wildlife Trust, and some students even planted some baby trees at home to help create greener gardens across the borough. Pupils are also starting a Gardening Club to add even more greenery and biodiversity to the school garden.
Fantastic work Eastbury Community school!