Thanks to the work of dedicated people who head out in all weathers, the streets and pathways in and around Ross-on-Wye are much freer from litter than they used to be.

Ross-on-Wye is lucky to have so many passionate individuals whose love for the town has helped inspire all kinds of people to pick up a litter picker and clean the streets, from toddlers and school children to parents and pensioners.

Some towns and cities offer residents the opportunity to have a two minute litter pick to help protect and preserve the beauty of the area, and the wildlife living in it. One place that exemplifies this is Richmond. With its beautiful waterfront and affluent streets, it seemed fitting that dotted around the town were signs offering visitors and residents the chance to have a two-minute litter pick.

Organised by BeRichmond and the South West London Environment Network (SWLEN), signs read ‘Love Richmond! Don’t let litter spoil it’ and urge visitors and residents to ‘make a difference’ with a two minute litter pick.

The concept is simple but effective: you take a bag, borrow a litter picker tucked away in a shelf attached to the sign, and enjoy a quick litter pick. You can even bin the used rubbish bags inside the board, which acts as a bin too.

Colin Cooper, Chief Executive at SWLEN, told the Ross Gazette: “We didn’t know about the existence of these boards until a local family contacted us about them and suggested them for Richmond riverside.

“We paid for our boards and raised some sponsorship money from our business improvement district, Be Richmond.”

Colin, who enjoys kayaking and walking in Ross-on-Wye, said they have been very impressed by the sturdiness of the boards, and despite being used a lot and bashed a fair bit are still in good order. He said: “We then sought agreements with ‘guardians’ to look after them who put them out and take them in every day.”

The Ross Gazette has contacted Herefordshire Council to ask them if they would consider helping to fund a similar initiative in Ross-on-Wye. A Council spokesperson said: “We are pleased to confirm that the council has purchased two of these with the High Street Clean Up grant in response to requests from litter groups and will discuss at the next litter steering group the best and safest places to situate them.

“We think they are a fantastic idea and it is our hope that, once installed, they will become one of many ways to inspire more people to get involved with litter picking and become part of the amazing network of litter groups and individuals who help to keep Herefordshire clean and tidy.”There will be a temporary sign in Ross-on-Wye for the Carnival on August 3rd.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.