A national award-winning
environmental campaign in County Durham has been extended as a result of its
overwhelming success.
Durham County Council’s Operation
Spruce Up is continuing due to the excellent results it has achieved in
communities and the positive feedback it has received.
The programme was launched in 2016
with council teams working with partners - including more than 4,000 children
and young people, to give one town or village centre an intensive clean up each
month.
In a survey carried out in
communities visited by Spruce Up, 90 per cent of people taking part said they had
noticed an improvement as a result of the work done.
The programme has even won
national recognition, having landed the prestigious title of 'campaign of the
year' at environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy's Network Awards 2018.
On the back of these successes,
the council has extended the programme’s initial 14 month run.
Spruce Up has begun work at
Blackhall Colliery and in the coming months will also call at Pelton,
Tow Law, Gilesgate, Trimdon Grange, Annfield Plain and Cockfield.
The activity at Blackhall is seeing litter clearance,
planting, benches and fences repaired, and bulky and fly-tipped items cleared
up, along the A1086, Coast Road and Middle Street and in surrounding areas.
Council teams will also be going into Blackhall Colliery and
St Joseph’s RC Primary Schools to give assemblies and organise poster
competitions. Winning designs will be used on posters which will be put up in
the community.
Spruce Up sees the
council work with its Area Action Partnerships to select programme
destinations, with 14 visited so far.
Environmental
improvements are delivered in partnership with residents, community groups and
town and parish councils.
Businesses and organisations get involved with McDonald’s,
Tesco, Co-Op, Northumbrian Water, JD Wetherspoon, Sustrans, Durham University
and the Environment Agency having joined in Spruce Up so far.
Schoolchildren also
play a part and to date have helped with planting, collecting litter,
installing bird and bat boxes and designing posters to help promote responsible
dog ownership and discourage littering.
To find out more, visit www.durham.gov.uk/spruceup
