A new campaign has been launched in the Borough of Tunbridge Wells with the aim of encouraging and fostering community pride. Entitled ‘Love Where We Live’, the campaign will be ongoing, and will begin with The Big Clean Up.

The Big Clean Up invites groups of people to organise a clean up somewhere in the Borough. Parish and town councils and some community groups already organise an annual clean up, but the aim is for as many individuals and organisations as possible to become involved this year.

The website www.lovewherewelive.co.uk, which will develop throughout the campaign, has information about the Big Clean Up along with forms for groups to request clean up equipment such as litter pickers, bags, gloves and high visibility vests.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will be providing the equipment and will also, on advanced request, send refuse vehicles along at the end of organised clean ups.

The campaign launched today with Councillors and Officers from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, along with representatives from the Town Forum, the Civic Society and Tunbridge Wells Soroptomists, cleaning up an area in Tunbridge Wells.

The volunteers at todays (6th June) launch found an amazing variety of rubbish, including an old mattress and a pair of boxing gloves!

Cllr Paul Barrington-King, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Street Scene, said:

‘We should be extremely proud of the Tunbridge Wells Borough and encourage others, whether from inside the Borough or out, to feel the same. Our street cleaning team do a tremendous job in keeping our Borough clean, and we can assist them by respecting the local environment, taking part in Clean Ups and fostering pride in our community.

‘The Love Where We Live campaign will highlight how much is already being done by groups and individuals whilst encouraging many more people to do the same. We offer an invitation for everybody to become involved and to help ‘Love Where We Live’ become a reality’.

John Cunningham, Chairman of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society, was very pleased to help out at the launch of the project, ' The Civic Society has been campaigning for several years against what has been called 'grot spots' all over the town, and we are very happy that this initiative has now come to fruition.'

Later in the year the Council hopes to launch a Community Awards Scheme and install new signs at the entrances to the Borough.