Cornwall Residents Encouraged to Join Great British Spring Clean 2026

The Big Spring Clean Returns… And Cornwall Is Being Asked to Join In

People across Cornwall are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves and help tackle litter as the Great British Spring Clean 2026 gets underway later this week.

The campaign, organised by Keep Britain Tidy, will run from 13th to 29th March 2026 and is described as the nation’s biggest mass action environmental campaign. Cornwall Council is urging residents to get involved by joining organised litter picks or borrowing equipment to help tidy up local spaces.

Residents can find nearby events through the Clean Cornwall community page on Facebook or by visiting the official campaign website.

How people can take part

Cornwall Council is encouraging as many people as possible to join the effort to protect local streets, parks and beaches.

People can join an organised litter pick, or borrow equipment to carry out their own clean up. Details about local events are available on the Clean Cornwall website.

A nationwide clean up effort

The Great British Spring Clean has been running since 2016. Over that time, millions of volunteers known as “Litter Heroes” have pledged to collect more than 4.5 million bags of litter.

Each year hundreds of thousands of people take part across the country. Last year alone more than 342,000 volunteers joined in, including 265,000 school pupils.

The campaign brings together businesses, charities, community groups, schools and individuals from places across the UK, from Stirling to St Ives and Manchester to Margate.

Community organisations such as the Scouts, Girlguiding and the Women’s Institute regularly take part. National organisations including the RSPCA, the Angling Trust and the Muslim Council of Britain also support the campaign.

Local authorities and town or parish councils help by loaning litter picking equipment and providing bags. In 2025, 485 councils supported the clean up effort.

Small actions that make a big difference

Keep Britain Tidy says the success of the campaign comes from thousands of small actions carried out by volunteers in their local communities.

Together, these individual efforts add up to a large national impact. According to the charity, many people who take part feel a strong connection to the campaign.

After last year’s clean up, 95% of participants said they felt they made a difference to their local area, while 90% said they love where they live and 88% said they felt part of a national movement tackling litter.

The challenge of litter

Despite the positive impact of community clean ups, litter remains a widespread concern in many areas.

Research from Keep Britain Tidy found that 71% of people living in the most deprived areas say litter is a problem where they live, compared with 56% in the least deprived areas.

Following the campaign last year, more than 97% of people surveyed said they believe the environment belongs to everyone.

Support behind the campaign

The Great British Spring Clean is run by Keep Britain Tidy with support from headline sponsor the People’s Postcode Lottery Earth Trust.

Media partners include Bauer Outdoor Media, Magic Radio and The Mirror. Corporate partners include KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi Max and Walkers.

With the campaign starting on Friday 13th March, Cornwall Council hopes residents across the county will get involved and help keep their local areas clean.