The Litter Free Dorset Challenge
Frustrated with seeing litter hanging from hedges, concerned about plastic entering our local environment, or simply want to spend more time in nature, then you'll be pleased to know the Litter Free Dorset Challenge is back for 2022!
Sign up today to the Litter Free Dorset Challenge which aims to support individuals tackling litter in their local environment.
The initiative is supported by Queen Mary University of London and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Preventing Plastic Pollution project.
If you are looking for a new challenge or took part in 2021, come and join us in a month-long litter picking effort across the county this May! If you didn't take part in last year's challenge, we will provide you with a litter picker, high vis vest and weighing scales so you can look the part, be safe as well as keep track of how much litter you collect. Already have your own equipment? That's absolutely fine - just let us know as part of the survey and we'll only send you what you need!
By taking part you will not only be protecting local wildlife from the impacts of plastic pollution but also have the chance to provide information about the types of litter collected to help inform solutions to tackle plastic pollution long term.
We have litter picking kits available for up to 250 participants.
The Litter Free Challenge will take place between Sunday 1st May - Tuesday 31st May 2022.
The Challenges
We understand that some of us will have more time than others. Therefore we are offering four different challenges to choose from and will provide you with your own equipment so you can litter pick in your local area at a time that suits you. The challenges to choose from are:
The 10-hour challenge - litter pick for 10 hours in 1 whole day
The 10 times challenge - take part in 10 litter picks throughout the month
The 10 minute daily challenge - everyday litter pick for 10 minutes throughout the month
The 'create your own' challenge - is there a particular challenge you have in mind?
Please read through the LFD risk assessment and take a look at the PPP survey forms before starting your litter picking challenge. When taking part in your challenge, remember to take and use bags or a reusable bucket to collect litter.
Join the #LFDChallenge Facebook Group to share your litter picking stories and support participants in Dorset taking on the challenge! Share your litter finds on social media by using the hashtag #LFDChallenge22 and tagging in @litterfreedorset and @Plastic_EU.
Collecting litter data for the Preventing Plastic Pollution project
As part of this year's Challenge, participants can help provide litter data to the Preventing Plastic Pollution project to better inform solutions to tackle plastic pollution long term.
Use the PPP monitoring forms (there is a simplified version for children to use) to record litter data while out and about litter picking and once back at home, upload your results to their online data portal (links for monitoring forms and data portal below).
| Litter Survey Form Links | Online Data Portal Links | |
|---|---|---|
| For adults | Standard PPP litter survey form (for adults) | Click here to upload standard survey form data litter data to the PPP online portal |
| For children | Click here to upload your simplified litter data to the PPP online portal |
Fundraising
As part of your challenge you can also fundraise money for Litter Free Dorset.
Litter Free Dorset is a community campaign to reduce litter in Dorset, hosted by Dorset Council. If you would like to fundraise or donate funds to enable us to run this challenge again in 2023, and kit out more of Dorset's resident litter heroes with equipment, click the link below:
To receive your challenge pack with equipment, please complete the sign up form below.
Please sign up before 23:59 on Friday 1st April 2022. If all 250 spaces are taken prior to Friday 1st April, sign-up to the Litter Free Dorset Challenge will close early.
Equipment will be sent out by Monday 25th April at the latest.
Good luck to all #LitterHeroes taking part - enjoy your litter picking adventure.
Post challenge evaluation survey
Once you have finished your challenge, please return to this webpage to complete the post challenge evaluation survey below. We would like to gather some feedback on your participation and thoughts about the LFD Challenge. This survey will take less than a few minutes to complete but will really help us when we next run the challenge.
