The British public are being urged to get their hands dirty if they are unhappy with the state of the environments in which they live and work. The British Cleaning Council (BCC), organisers of the Clean Britain Awards, is calling on the UK’s urban and rural dwellers to play a part in shaping their own neighbourhoods.

Steve Wright, chairman of BCC, said: “The aim of the Clean Britain Awards is to recognise and reward the organisations in Britain who toil to keep the streets clean and tidy. We would like to see residents and workers of cities, towns and districts throw their weight behind any campaign to make theirs a cleaner, greener location, whether that be through organised clean-ups or by working in harmony with their local authority.”

This call to action follows research from Keep Britain Tidy claiming that ‘Neighbourhood Appearance’ is one of three things, along with level of crime and community spirit, that people are least happy with.* Ginette Unsworth, senior marketing & communications manager, Keep Britain Tidy, said: “The public needs to take more responsibility for their communities by looking after them and keeping them litter free and tidy. Local authorities also need to be making nice neighbourhoods a top priority.”

The 2008/09 Clean Britain Awards have just been launched - inspection criteria covers litter, cigarette butts, chewing gum, fly tipping, graffiti, dog fouling and all issues impacting on visitor impressions, wherever the location. Judges arrive in all entrant destinations unannounced, examining transport hubs, tourist facilities, parks and gardens, and several other locations - all of which they monitor for cleanliness.

Steve Wright said: “We have previously seen all four capitals of the UK enter this prestigious competition and now with towns and districts eligible for entry, most of the UK has the opportunity to enter the Awards scheme. Not only is it a chance for the cleanest locations to be rewarded but many cities, towns and districts have an opportunity to get advice from cleaning industry experts on how to improve their cleansing operations.

We believe this is the most important environmental competition there is in the UK - a chance for all communities to stand up and take pride in their own neighbourhoods. The tide is turning on litter louts but we all need to work closer together to achieve a cleaner and tidier Britain.”

Web: www.cleanbritainawards.co.uk

*A cross section of people from all over England were interviewed. Results can be found in a research report by Keep Britain Tidy, entitled ‘Measuring Quality of Life: Does Local Environmental Quality Matter?’ at www.keepbritaintidy.org.