United in fight to cut litter

Anti-litter campaigners in Ollerton are hoping that a new campaign will cut the amount of rubbish in the town.

The campaign was officially launched on Sherwood Avenue on Friday.

About 20 pupils from Dukeries College entered a competition to design posters for the campaign and the three winning designs will be put on bins and trees.

The campaign, paid for by Ollerton and Boughton Town Council, will see 30 extra bins — donated by A1 Bridge Flue Systems — put in areas where litter is considered to be a particular problem.

Ollerton’s mayor, Mr Jason Ferguson, launched the campaign on Friday with a town councillor, Mr Terry Bell, and pupils from Dukeries College.

Mr Bell said the purpose of the campaign was to bring the problem of litter to public attention.

He said: “There are numerous litter bins around the town and we wish people would use them.

“Litter is a problem in all towns and if this alleviates the litter problem that we have got, even in a small way, we will deem that it has worked.”

He said campaigners would visit schools to talk to children about how to deal with litter.

Dukeries College rewards pupils for disposing of litter properly. Those seen to be doing something good, such as picking up litter and putting it in a bin, are given points that can be swapped for prizes.

Mr Bell said they were looking to extend the scheme throughout the town.

Mr Ferguson said: “Anything that helps is a good idea, particularly in education.”

There are plans to train two wardens to issue fines to those dropping litter.

Newark and Sherwood District Council’s waste enforcement team will take photographs of areas before and after the campaign to judge its success.