It’s horrid seeing rubbish lying around on pavements and roadsides.
Littering can change the look and feel of a place. It can also be hugely damaging for wildlife and the environment.
Earlier this year I asked primary school children from across Faversham and Mid Kent to take part in my Litter Angels competition.
Year 5 pupils were asked to design a creative and vibrant anti-litter poster to encourage people to take their litter home with them.
We’re taking action on littering in Government by making household recycling easier and introducing our deposit return scheme for drinks containers.
And we’re going further with plans to end single-use plastics and stopping the export of polluting plastic waste to developing countries through our Environment Act.
But getting litter off our streets is something that needs everyone’s help. Young people seem to get the need for action better than anyone.
I’m delighted that so many children took part in the competition. Huge congratulations to this year’s winners – especially overall winner Charlie Foxall from Boughton-Under-Blean & Dunkirk Methodist Primary School.
The winning poster will now be printed and displayed in the McDonalds car park at the M20 Maidstone services from January 2022.
I hope the poster makes people think twice before dropping their litter.
