Sign up for spring clean (From The Oxford Times)

Sign up for spring clean

3:29pm Thursday 10th January 2008 in

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THE Oxford Times is today inviting readers and local groups to join with us in backing a spring clean for Oxford.

The OxClean Spring Clean 2008 will be the first volunteer effort of its kind, offering everyone a chance to take part in a city-wide clean-up.

Already 22 sites have been identified and each week we will let you know as more are added.

Schools, residents' associations, businesses, youth groups, colleges, restaurants and pubs are all being invited to join a two-hour litter pick that will take place in March.

It is being done as part of the OxClean campaign organised by our partners the Oxford Civic Society and Oxford City Council.

The idea is that each group of volunteers will nominate a site that they will clean up on either March 14, 15 or 16. It could be a local park, playground, industrial estate, town square or public open space.

As well as selecting a site, each group will be responsible for recruiting volunteers and organising the collection of litter and some of the equipment that may be needed, such as gloves.

There is an impressive precedent showing the benefit of this approach. In 1989 an initiative was launched in the Sydney Harbour area, which developed into Clean Up Australia Day, which is now Australia's largest community- based environmental project, with hundreds of thousands taking part.

Tony Joyce, chairman of Oxford Civic Society, said: "The quantity of litter on our streets and in our parks has more than doubled over the past ten years.

"From a practical point of view, we want to clean up as much as possible. But we also want to draw attention to the problem and its causes, start changing behaviour and improve provision of disposal units."

Oxford City Council will offer advice on all aspects of litter collection, as well as supplying plastic bags. It will also arrange special roadside litter collections at the end of each day.

To get started, you are urged to register an interest as soon as possible.

Schools who have joined include West Oxford Primary School, which plans to clean up the West Oxford Community Field on Osney Island and St Barnabas CE School, Jericho, which will clear litter from the school site and field. In the coming weeks we will be carrying details of groups taking parts and the sites they propose to clear.

Derek Holmes, editor of The Oxford Times, said: "We know our readers have a great concern for the environment in and around Oxford. We share that concern and are delighted to support the Civic Society with its OxClean Spring clean."

Anyone wishing to take part should visit oxfordcivicsoc.org.uk, email oxclean@oxfordcivicsoc. org.uk or write to OxClean Spring Clean 2008, 67 Cunliffe Close, Oxford OX2 7BJ.

A list of groups already signed up is available by clicking here.