Nottingham's community spirit in action

Eight Framework staff donned (surprisingly flattering!) pink high-vis jackets and litter pickers to join the It’s in Nottingham crew at 8:45am outside the Dryden Centre. After splitting into two teams, volunteers took different routes through the city centre – clearing litter, chatting to passers-by, and starting their day with a real sense of purpose.

“It was such a crisp, beautiful morning, and actually a brilliant way to kick off the day,” said Loren Shore, Supporter Engagement Officer at Framework. “We were blown away by the kind words from members of the public – people were genuinely thankful and stopped to tell us so. It really hit home how many people care about this city and want to see it thrive.”

Along the routes, the teams noticed how much effort was already being made by residents and local businesses – with bags of rubbish already neatly stacked, ready for council collection. “It reminded us that when we work together, we can make a huge difference,” Loren added.

At the end of the litter pick, the volunteers brought their collected rubbish back to a designated bin spot for Nottingham City Council to pick up. The event was coordinated with the help of the brilliant team at It’s in Nottingham, who run litter picks every Thursday morning as part of their commitment to keeping the city clean.

Alex Flint, CEO, It's in Nottingham; "Our weekly litter pick is a small but important part of what we do for the city and the whole team enjoys doing their bit. We know that our members appreciate it, and recognise our contribution towards making Nottingham a cleaner place for everyone who comes into the city, for work, to study or to socialise.

"The support of partners like Framework, and the city centre businesses who join us regularly, really makes this activity collaborative and sends a clear message that we love this city and want to look after it for everyone to enjoy."

Framework now hopes to make this a regular collaboration, inviting staff and volunteers from services across Nottingham to get involved. Several colleagues have already been in touch asking when the next one will be.

“It’s about pride in where we live and where we work,” said Loren. “And it’s about all of us doing our bit – together.”

Nottingham City Council's Clean Champions scheme is a voluntary initiative which encourages local communities and businesses to play their part in keeping Nottingham city litter-free.

For more information, visit the Clean Champions website.