This year’s Big Tidy Up in Douglas will be on Saturday October 3.

Douglas Borough Council, the event’s originator and organising body, is urging local businesses, schools, volunteer groups and private individuals to get behind the campaign by joining the Mayor, Councillor Sara Hackman, council members, officers and staff to target litter hot spots around the town.

Environmental services committee chairman Councillor Ritchie McNicholl said: ‘This will be the fifth Big Tidy Up the Council has led. We hope that, as in previous years, people will get behind the campaign and support the Council’s efforts to rid the town of litter, in particular those areas which cannot ordinarily be accessed easily by our cleansing operatives, places such as back lanes, alleyways and footpaths.

‘Every year we are encouraged by the number of individuals and organisations who demonstrate their support and this year we are delighted that volunteers from Beach Buddies will be joining us. The Council’s street cleaning teams do tremendous work but litter is a community problem that demands a community response.’

Council leader Councillor David Christian said: ‘The Big Tidy Up sends out an unequivocal message that together we can make a very real difference to our town. This is a campaign that is as much about ridding our streets of litter as it is about encouraging civic pride and presenting a positive “open for business” image. Everyone has a part to play in raising environmental standards in our town, not just for the one day of the Big Tidy Up, but for every day of every year.’

The Council will provide hi-visibility tabards, gloves, bin bags and litter picker grabs and remove litter collected.

A typical clean-up will last approximately one to two hours.

Certificates will be awarded to participating organisations.

For more details and to submit details of identified litter hotspots contact event co-ordinator Peter Macken, 696446, pmacken@douglas.gov.im.