Spotlight on Stratford-upon-Avon's Rubbish Friends

Our #LitterHeroes Ambassadors and regional programme group leaders go above and beyond to advocate for their local environment and engage their communities in litter-picking and prevention. This month, we’re celebrating Stratford-upon-Avon's Rubbish Friends and their resident #LitterHeroes Ambassador, Claudine Pearson.

“I’m the kind of person who always finds money or jewellery on the pavement - as well as lots of litter!” Claudine told us, “It’s ingrained in me that litter doesn’t belong in public spaces. Seeing more and more made me realise I needed to do something about it.”

And it wasn’t long before Claudine’s litter-picking went from a solo activity to a group effort.

“Doing something in a group is more fun and effective so I joined local charity, Rubbish Friends.” She revealed, “Litter picking is surprisingly sociable and curiously addictive; it's a low cost, outdoor, productive activity for all ages and abilities. It leads to all sorts of conversations about what we can do to care for our community.”

Rubbish Friends has been gathering since 2017, and are proud to be a small, independent, and homegrown charity with a strong voice in their community. Their mission is to prevent litter and create cleaner and greener spaces in Stratford-upon-Avon.

“Rubbish Friends know the harm litter is causing our environment.” Claudine told us, “Talking about the costs to nature and to taxpayers, and encouraging others to litter-pick opens their eyes to the rubbish hidden in plain sight; in hedges,  car parks, and play areas.”

“Once your eyes are opened to rubbish in places it shouldn’t be, you can’t unsee.”

The group even held a Rubbish Conference to encourage informed conversations and develop ideas to tackle the problem. Rubbish Friends has found common ground with Robin Ford, General Manager of Stratford-upon-Avon’s largest hotel and conference centre, the Crowne Plaza, who Claudine describes as a “a community champion in the true sense of the word.”

The group used their connections across Stratford’s community, inviting schools, businesses, social groups and sports clubs to “talk rubbish”, with speakers from a diverse range of local organisations, from a community builder to a school Eco-Committee, to Severn Trent Green Power and Stratford on Avon District Council’s environmental services. 

Partnerships have developed, including local destination management organisation Shakespeare's England. Further collaborations included a Rubbish Roadshow, talking sustainability with Warwick’s Bicycle Mayor, Net Zero Stratford’s new climate hub, and a “mass clean” with one hundred Stratford-upon-Avon High School students.

The group are always eager to work with partners to tackle litter in their local area and develop creative ideas to prevent litter in the first place. This includes individuals who want to improve public spaces within Stratford-upon-Avon, schools such as Stratford Girls Grammar School, large employers such as NFU Mutual and organisations like the Royal Shakespeare Company, who shared their stage on a sustainable production of The Tempest. Rubbish Friends helped to source litter for the set, attended backstage rehearsals, and the opening night, and Claudine even hosted a talk with Director, Elizabeth Freestone.

This partnership also educated and engaged younger people on litter pollution. The RSC commissioned artist Michelle Reader to co-create sculptures for a ‘Wrecked Installation’ working with our younger volunteers, including Duke of Edinburgh Award students.

Keep Britain Tidy want to say a huge thank you to Claudine Pearson, Robin Ford, and the rest of the Rubbish Friends for their fantastic work to tackle litter in their local area.

Applications are currently closed for our #LitterHeroes Ambassador programme, but if you’re a litter-picker and you want to keep up-to-date, you can register as a #LitterHero. You’ll get the latest litter-picking news, campaigns, and events, access to exclusive resources, and you’ll be the first to hear when applications to join our #LitterHeroes Ambassador programme. 

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