Visitors to Fylde are once again being asked to Take It, Don’t Leave It as the borough gears up for a busy summer of fun in the sun.
Last year, the Take It, Don’t Leave It awareness campaign resulted in an increase in volunteers collecting rubbish and a significant decrease in the amount of litter left on beaches and in towns.
The focus of this year’s efforts is to reduce the amount of plastic left on the coast, in towns and in Fylde’s beautiful rural areas.
From bottles to beach toys and nappies to baby wipes, most litter contains plastic and, if it is taken into the sea by the tides, it can have a devastating effect on marine life.
Tracey Hope is the lead coordinator for an army of volunteers who give up their valuable free time to collect litter every day throughout summer and she is also one of Fylde Council’s Environmental Enforcement Officers.
She said: “I set up a community action group after seeing the amount of litter left behind by visitors. This sits on the Facebook group, Tossers in Lytham St Annes and is now developing, with more and more areas being covered both on the coast and inland.
“While most people do pick up after themselves, there’s a minority who leave their rubbish behind and that can really mount up.
“Last year Fylde Council supported us with the Take It, Don’t Leave It campaign, which had a hugely positive impact. Not only did we see a reduction in the amount of litter in the borough but our group more than doubled in size, and continues to grow.
“I joined the team at the council earlier this year and I am really enjoying my role as it allows me to do everything I am passionate about both during my working day and during my free time.
“Rubbish isn’t just unsightly; it can also be very dangerous to marine life. Dolphins have already been spotted in local waters this year and if litter is carried into the sea with the wind or tides it can be fatal for them, which is devastating.
“I am delighted that we are relaunching Take It, Don’t Leave It and, with the summer holidays just around the corner, we look forward to welcoming responsible visitors to our award-winning beaches, stunning rural areas and towns.”
Fylde Council has invested in additional bins and increased refuse services throughout the season and its enforcement, rangers and refuse teams work hard keep the borough clean.
Allan Oldfield, Chief Executive of Fylde Council, explains: “We are extremely lucky to have an army of voluntary litter picking individuals and groups in Fylde.
“In addition, we have lots of other coastal care groups working under the Keep Britain Tidy umbrella, and the work they all do is invaluable in helping our teams tackle litter left by visitors.
“Last year’s awareness campaign was a huge success and we want to replicate it with videos, social media messaging and publicity throughout the summer to really drive the message home.”
The ‘Take it, Don’t Leave It’ campaign launches on Thursday 16th June 2022 and will run throughout the season.
Look out for the ‘Take It, Don’t Leave It’ message appearing across Fylde and keep an eye on the Council’s social media pages to see how you could get involved.
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