Keep Britain Tidy volunteers nominated for BBC Make a Difference Awards

A number of volunteers for Keep Britain Tidy have been nominated for Make a Difference Awards by local BBC radio stations across the country – recognising the vital work that they do to improve the environment on their doorsteps.

Nominated by members of their own communities, the list of nominees includes #LitterHeroes, Ambassadors, and supporters of Keep Britain Tidy’s local environmental care programmes.

Karen Blanchfield, a finalist in BBC Hereford and Worcester’s Make a Difference Awards, is a #LitterHeroes Ambassador and founder of the Little Litter Warrior programme. The programme teaches children about the blight of litter, and engages them in activity to improve their environment. Since 2018, the programme has worked with almost 14,000 children.

She has also led the clean-up of Hartlebury Common Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) interest which had fallen victim to fly-tipping on an industrial scale.

Karen is nominated alongside another member of our #LitterHeroes community, Laura from Anti-Littering Evesham – a group formed in 2016 to address littering in the market town of Evesham.

Another of our #LitterHeroes Ambassadors, Jason Alexander (the litterologist behind social enterprise, Rubbish Walks) has been nominated by BBC Suffolk for their award. Through Rubbish Walks, Jason highlights the issues of single-use plastics, litter, and waste in imaginative and engaging ways. 

Elsewhere, Sutton-on-Sea Beachcare has been nominated for the second year in a row for BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Make a Difference awards in the Green Champions category.

Catherine Holborn, Keep Britain Tidy’s RiverCare & BeachCare Programme Officer told us: “(BeachCare's) Lianne and Jordan host community beach cleans, survey marine wildlife and recently propelled the town to Plastic Free Community status.”

Sincil Bank RiverCare have also been shortlisted – this time in the Great Neighbour category of BBC Radio Lincolnshire Make a Difference Awards.

The volunteer team has been nominated for their amazing work looking after their local watercourse, the Sincil Drain. For six years, the dedicated eco-champions have removed litter and waste, tackled invasive species, held engagement events, and served as a liaison between the community and council – making sure local opinions are heard.

BBC Radio Norfolk, meanwhile, have nominated Thetford River Group for their Make a Difference Awards. This volunteer community group litter-picks and monitors the health of the rivers Thet and Little Ouse throughout the year.

As well as carrying out regular patrols in canoes and kayaks to collect river litter, the volunteers also monitor the health of the wildlife that lives in the rivers and along the banks.

Keep Britain Tidy is proud of our dedicated volunteers across the country, and is thrilled that the BBC has recognised the incredible work they do for their local environment and communities.

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