Year 1 pupils from Thoresby Primary School recently joined Hull City Council’s Love Your Neighbourhood team for a community litter-pick, helping to make the streets around their school cleaner and greener.
Held in May, the session began with an engaging presentation delivered by a team member from the Love Your Neighbourhood project. The presentation introduced the children to the importance of environmental responsibility and the impact of littering.
Inspired and informed, the children then headed out in small groups – accompanied by staff – to litter-pick in Welbeck Street, Thoresby Street, Hardwick Street, and Clumber Street.
To ensure the activity was carried out safely, the team provided all the necessary equipment, including gloves, high-visibility vests, litter-pickers, and bin bags.
The children enthusiastically collected several bags of rubbish, making a visible difference to the area and demonstrating the power of community action.
Following the litter-pick, one of the pupils explained why it’s important to keep the city clean: “It’s important so we don’t kill animals – and I love animals. If you litter all over the place, our place [Hull] would be a horrible place to live in.
“It is not good to throw litter around because if you did do that, I would be very sad and I never, never like litter – it’s not nice.”
Tom Murrey, a Year 1 teacher at Thoresby Street Primary School, contacted the team after learning about the impactful work they do in the local community.
He hoped that by welcoming them into the school, the children would not only gain valuable knowledge but also have the chance to engage in meaningful collaboration.
Reflecting on the session, he said: “I am so grateful for the children’s hard work and commitment. Their collective efforts have made a positive impact in the area and set a great example for others to follow.
“We’re incredibly proud of our pupils for taking part in the community litter-picks. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to learn about environmental responsibility in a hands-on way.
“The presentation from the Love Your Neighbourhood team really helped the children understand the impact of their actions, and they were excited to make a difference in their local area.
“The session provided a valuable learning experience and helped reinforce the importance of caring for our local environment.”
The session is part of Hull City Council’s ongoing efforts to encourage residents to look after the environment and promote a cleaner, greener city. By involving local schools, the council aims to instil a lasting sense of care and respect for public spaces in the city’s youngest residents.
Councillor Charles Quinn, cabinet portfolio holder for environment, said: “It is amazing and inspiring to see pupils at Thoresby Primary School take such pride in their local area.
“They are making a huge difference by making their community cleaner. It’s wonderful to see the love your neighbourhood team working with local schools and empowering children to keep their area clean and tidy.”
Residents, community groups, or schools who wish to get involved in similar activities can borrow equipment from the Love Your Street team, including adult and child-sized litter pickers, hi-vis vests, graffiti removal kits, litter collection sacks, and gloves.
Any litter that cannot go in household bins will be collected by the team.
To hire equipment and to book litter collections, visit Get involved | Love your street | Hull.
For further information, visit Love your neighbourhood | Love your street | Hull. Alternatively, email loveyourstreetproject@hullcc.gov.uk.
