Maidstone's volunteer litter pickers filled an estimated 2,000 bags in a year. The council thanked them at its first celebration event and named two award winners.

Maidstone’s volunteer litter pickers collected an estimated 2,000 bags of rubbish in the last year. Maidstone Borough Council has now thanked them at its first celebration event for the groups.

Volunteers, councillors, the council’s waste teams and its collection contractor SUEZ met for the event, the council said. It was the first time all of them had come together to mark the work and plan what comes next.

The numbers

According to the council:

  • more than 500 volunteers have worked alongside its teams over the last two years
  • they collected an estimated 2,000 bags of litter in the last year alone
  • the council received more than 3,500 reports of fly-tipping and more than 1,300 reports of littering over the past year

The council supplies the equipment, training and support for the litter-picking groups, and collects the full bags.

The two award winners

The Special Recognition Award went to Colin Moore. The council said he spent many years removing litter in Allington and has inspired others to start volunteering.

Volunteer Litter Picker of the Year went to Tómas Thorndycraft, who leads the Spot-Less Lane project. He first contacted the council in October 2025. Since then the group has grown to 95 volunteers and filled more than 400 bags of waste.

Its litter picks have covered:

  • Spot Lane Nature Reserve
  • Mote Park
  • Downswood
  • Otham

“Litter picking is about much more than collecting rubbish,” Mr Thorndycraft said. “It has the power to unite people together, creates a pride in where we live and shows what can be achieved when communities work hand in hand.”

He added that everyone is welcome to get involved, and that picking up “5 Easy Pieces” of litter a day can make a real difference.

Councillor Clive English, the cabinet member for environmental services and enforcement, said: “This event was about saying thank you. We want our volunteers to know that their contribution is seen, valued and appreciated.”

What it means for you

The council lends tools and green bags to community groups, schools and individual residents, so you do not need to be part of a group. You can request litter-picking tools through the council’s contact form.

When you finish, leave the bags next to a litter bin or somewhere easy to find and request a bag collection. The council’s litter picking page says bags beside a litter bin are collected within three days, and bags left elsewhere can take up to five.

If a full pick is too much, the council and Mr Thorndycraft are both asking residents to pick up five pieces of litter a day.