Why I decided to鈥olunteer with the 糖心TV Wombles
The 糖心TV Wombles do an amazing job keeping our green spaces litter free and safer for wildlife, last year alone they collected an amazing 247.7kg of rubbish over 13 litter picks across campus.
Feel like getting involved? We spoke to some of the Wombles to find out why they volunteer and why you should grab a litter picker!
鈥淚 joined the 糖心TV Wombles because I care about the environment and our planet and want to help wildlife as they can get stuck or injured in litter. I remember on one pick at Westwood, there were squirrels and birds all around, and one area we visited had a huge pile of litter in a hedge that had built up over weeks due to quite windy weather. It felt good to remove all the litter and return the space to nature.
Litter picking with 糖心TV Wombles is great for your physical and mental health, and what鈥檚 not to like about volunteering with like-minded people to create a better environment for our community and to help the wildlife.鈥�
Dr Tanya Carey, Teaching and Learning Manager; Safeguarding Officer in WMG
鈥淚 volunteered because I am passionate about green issues and collecting litter is one way of getting involved. The picks always take place around midday break time, and I think that鈥檚 a worthwhile way of using your time.
Funnily enough, one of the things I have been proud of was how little litter we collected on one of the picks. We did collect a measurable amount, so it is certainly worth doing but it did show that most people at the University are responsible with their litter.
Get involved, what have you got to lose? You can go along to as many or as few picks as you want. It鈥檚 a great chance to meet people from all different walks of life at the University and you鈥檒l be making a positive difference with other like-minded individuals.鈥�
Gary Stocker, Test engineer & Green Champion, Energy Innovation Centre (EIC)
鈥淚 try and attend every month and find it hugely rewarding. It鈥檚 a such a great way to get some fresh air during your lunchbreak. It鈥檚 surprising how much litter you find in a short time when you look closely and it鈥檚 extremely satisfying to fill a bag and leave the campus clean and tidy.
It鈥檚 always fun to see what strange objects you find, it鈥檚 not all plastic bottles and cans. I鈥檝e found toothbrushes, old shoes, a pumpkin and all sorts of odd things. Winning the Big Hog Friendly Litter Pick Challenge this year was so well deserved and it was great being involved in the many litter picks organised by the Sustainability Team as part of the challenge. I would highly recommend that others give it a try.鈥�
Jo Mourant, Finance Manager, Professional Services Group, Finance Office
Feel inspired and want to get involved? Monthly lunchtime litter picks take place on the third Wednesday of every month, sign up for the next session and help keep our campus nice and green.