Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is proud to support this year’s Spring Clean Cymru event and is urging residents to join the fight against litter and show how much they ‘Love Where They Live’.
The two week long campaign runs from Friday 21st March until Sunday 6th April and aims to shine a light on the litter problems that many towns, villages and cities face as a result of careless litter bugs. The aim this year is to remind people to ‘Love Where They Live’, something that we all need to do everyday of the year, to help keep our neighbourhoods clean.
To kick start the fortnight of action Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is proud to be supporting a home-grown local woman from Pontypridd, who is also a multi world record holding cyclist, ex world champion triathlete, climate activist and author - Kate Strong in her record breaking attempt to clean up the river Taff.
The record-breaking challenge called Taff Tidy was born to bring together people to clean one river for one hour and set a new Guinness Book World Record.
Kate Strong, said: “We know that one cleanup won’t change the world, but it will change how we see our impact within the world, and with our legacy projects, enable more people to change their behaviours in protecting nature.”
On 21 March 2025 Dr Numair Masud, an expert in freshwater health, and Pontypridd born, Kate Strong, multiple world record holding cyclist & behavioural change expert are teaming up to highlight the importance of working together to protect our river systems.
To be part of the hour of action on the day you will need to register to take part - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaFSVH9gCLm2hUwVyAbBsTxwVYbaj2ntavDPn6sAo5gbrEsg/viewform.
Whilst the Council is a keen supporter of this event and is encouraging as many people to take part as possible, it is not responsible for the running of the event and all health and safety aspects highlighted by the project organisers should be followed to ensure safety and the record-breaking attempt guidelines are followed at all times.
Keep Wales Tidy’s Spring Clean Cymru aims to raise awareness and encourage positive action and is supporting Kate and Dr Masud in their record-breaking attempt. Not only does litter cost Wales roughly £70 million to remove each year, but it also has devastating effects on marine and local wildlife. The good news is that litter picking is a simple action that anyone can do to make an immediate and visible difference to their area.
Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Ann Crimmings and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Councillor Christina Leyshon are keen to support Kate Strong and Dr Masud on their challenge and will be part of the hour of action on 21st March. They are also supporting Spring Clean Cymru to help ensure that Rhondda Cynon Taf is a place we all love and want to visit.
Cllr Ann Crimmings, said: “Litter isn’t just unsightly, it can be harmful to wildlife and have a huge impact on the mental health of the people who have to see it every day. It really is a simple task to use a bin or take your litter home to dispose of your items. It’s about being responsible and loving where we live, our outdoor spaces are for everyone to enjoy and its often the minority that spoil it.
"Luckily in RCT we have a number of litter hubs that allow you to borrow free Litter picking kits so that we can clean up the mess of the few irresponsible litter louts. The one positive is that RCT has some amazing open spaces and litter picking will help to get you outdoors to explore them, boost your well-being, and take positive action to improve your community. So, grab a litter picker, step outside, and let's work together to keep RCT tidy!"
Cllr Christina Leyshon added: “Myself and Cllr Crimmings are passionate about the environment and work hard to make a difference in our community. We are pleased to support another local, passionate and inspirational woman in Kate and Dr Masud to help make a change. What we do today, makes a difference to tomorrow and people like Kate and Dr Masud are helping create a brighter tomorrow for us all.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf boasts a number of litter picking hubs across the County Borough, where people can borrow a free kit and take action in their local areas. The kit includes litter pickers, hi-vis vests, rubbish bags, and hoops – essential for keeping your bags open in breezy conditions. To find your nearest hub, you can search your location online at https://keepwalestidy.cymru/caru-cymru/litter-picking-hubs/. You can also join a local group – as we all know many hands, make light work! More details can be found online at https://keepwalestidy.cymru/caru-cymru/community-groups/.
Last year, an incredible 5,000 volunteers took part in more than 700 clean-ups across Wales. Keep Wales Tidy are hoping to beat this total and make 2025 their most successful spring clean yet.
Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive, Owen Derbyshire said: "This year, our message is clear: the environment is for everyone. Whether you're tidying up your street, local park, favourite beach, or a cherished beauty spot, every piece of litter removed makes a difference.
"Litter picking is a simple, free way to get outdoors, boost your well-being, and take positive action to improve your community.”
To pledge and get involved in Spring Clean Cymru, visit the Keep Wales Tidy website www.keepwalestidy.cymru.
To register to take part in Taff Tidy visit https://katestrong.global/taff-tidy (REMEMBER you MUST register to take part).
Posted on 13/03/2025