Hunts to clear up the countryside again

The Countryside Alliance’s annual Countryside Clean-up returns from Saturday 22 March to Sunday 6 April. This initiative invites communities to come together and combat litter that’s tarnishing our countryside.

Once again, members of the hunting community, along with their friends, families, and neighbours, will play an active role in improving their local environments by clearing litter from verges, ditches and hedgerows.

The Countryside Alliance calls on everyone who can to participate in a clean-up event, whether it’s around hunt kennels or in areas where waste can endanger wildlife, livestock, and the natural beauty of our landscapes.

“We urge anyone who’s able to spare a couple of hours to make a positive impact in their local community by either organising or participating in a clean-up event,” said Polly Portwin, Director of the Countryside Alliance’s Campaign for Hunting. “Engaging with your local parish council, posting notices, or sharing the event on community Facebook pages can help attract more people and significantly improve areas most affected by litter.”

Last year, representatives from the hunting and rural communities, including hunt officials, hunt staff, farmers and landowners, subscribers and other supporters, braved the relentlessly wet conditions to clear rubbish from hedgerows, roadside verges, footpaths, river banks and fields across the UK.

It was evident that large volumes of takeaway coffee cups from well-known high street chains were amongst the litter collected. Plastic bags and bottles, crisp packets and fast-food wrappers were also amongst the most recorded items which had been cast aside by those responsible for blighting the countryside.

The Alliance has long campaigned against fly-tipping and littering, particularly in rural areas, and it remains one of our top priorities, with fly-tipping and littering rank as a significant rural crime concern. The issue has previously ranked above machinery theft and trespass when rural residents were asked to name which crimes they had been a victim of.

Please inform the Countryside Alliance via social media or by email to hunting@countryside-alliance.org if you are planning to organise a clean-up in your area.

Image: Zoe Henderson