PREPARATIONS are underway for the fourth Torfaen Spring Clean, which is scheduled to start in March.

The popular annual campaign sees the council work in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy and other partners to encourage community groups, sports and social clubs, churches, schools, businesses and residents to get involved and take part in litter picks and clear up events in their area.

This year’s Spring Clean runs from Monday, March 9 until Friday, April 3.

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The campaign will cross over with Keep Wales Tidy’s annual Spring Clean Cymru campaign, which begins on Friday, March 20 and runs until Friday, April 13.

Councillor Fiona Cross, executive member for the environment, said: “I am delighted to announce we have 17 Spring Clean litter picking events planned so far which start on March 9 at 9am, meeting at the bus turning point below West Mon School.

“Our street cleansing crews and countryside staff work hard out in the community everyday litter picking and trying to make the borough clean and green, but keeping the environment litter-free is all of our responsibility. By working together we can make an even bigger impact than what we do when working alone.

“We would like the community to join us again this year, and I encourage as many people as possible to give up an hour or two to get involved in one of the many planned community litter picks.”

Last year’s event saw more than 300 volunteers take part in the clean, between them bagging almost 1,000 bags of litter over the six week campaign.

Griffithstown resident and volunteer Torfaen Litter Champion Ron Ford said: “Volunteering is hugely rewarding and makes a real difference to the community and I would encourage everyone to get involved in the Torfaen Spring Clean or organise your own.

“People need to take pride in where they live. If everyone picked up one piece of litter a day this problem would disappear overnight.

The events being held are listed below, or for more information on how to get involved, you can visit torfaen.gov.uk/springclean.

Alternatively, you join our dedicated Facebook page Torfaen Greener Cleaner Volunteers to get involved.

The events that have been confirmed so far are:

  • Monday, March 9: Litter pick at West Mon School and Albion Road Field (9am-12pm)
  • Tuesday, March 10: Blaenavon Flower Park (10am-12pm)
  • Tuesday, March 10: Garn Lakes Litter pick (2pm-4pm)
  • Wednesday, March 11: Sandybrook Park through to Waun Road (9.30am-11.30am)
  • Location: In the Park by children’s play area
  • Monday, March 16: Litter pick at Osborne Road car park and riverside (9am-12pm)
  • Tuesday, March 17: Fairwater Shops and Lane to Brunel Road (10am – 12pm)
  • Tuesday, March 17: Lane between Daffodil Court, Ty Canol and Greenmeadow Primary School (2pm-4pm)
  • Thursday, March 19: East Road, Llantarnam (9.30am-11.30am)
  • Friday, March 20: Litter pick, off Shop Road, Varteg (9.30am-11.30am)
  • Monday, March 23: Litter pick at The Square, Upper Race, Pontypool (9am-11am)
  • Tuesday, March 24: Cwmbran Boating Lake (10am-12pm)
  • Wednesday, March 25: Coed Eva Woodland, brook and surrounding areas (9.30am-11.30am)
  • Friday, March 27: Pontypool Park Litter pick (10am-12pm)
  • Saturday, March 28: Litter pick at The British (The Chimney) (10am-12pm)
  • Sunday, March 29: Litter pick at the WHAT store, Llantarnam, Cwmbran (9.30am-11.30am)
  • Monday, March 30: Litter pick at area from St Cadoc’s Church along Penygarn Road (9am-11am)
  • Tuesday, March 31: Litter pick at Springvale Local Nature Reserve (9.30am-11.30am)