Community efforts help to win award - Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, UK

A project which helped clear rubbish from the streets of Boston has made a clean sweep at an Environment Agency awards ceremony.

The Big Boston Clean Up saw more than 500 volunteers collect 10 tonnes of rubbish from the streets, green spaces and rivers of Boston in just one week.  And now, their efforts have been recognised as the Big Boston Clean Up scooped the Community Engagement Project of the year award at the Environment Agency’s Communications Awards 2009.

Andy Bailey of the Environment Agency, helped organise the event with Jenny Moore, of Boston Borough Council. He said: “A massive sense of community spirit was evident throughout the week. Everybody enjoyed themselves - no mean feat considering they were picking up rubbish. People were talking to strangers, asking questions and offering thanks, children were making up songs and, over lunch, it felt like a community had come together. “People left smiling, feeling like they had made a difference and the comments book said it all with ‘can we do it again next year?’”

The award-winning Big Boston Clean Up took place in April 2008 and was organised after the people of the town highlighted problems with litter and other waste.

A number of other organisations also helped to ensure the project was a success. These included the local Internal Drainage Boards, police, fire service, probation service, housing associations, churches and local businesses.

Article from Boston Borough Council Website