Judi Herman touches on her personal journey in repairing her little bit of the world one litter pick at a time

Ever since my beloved late husband Steve thought to buy his ’n' hers litter pickers for our 45th wedding anniversary during the 2020 lockdown, I have been litter picking almost daily – so much so that I've started to think of my pretty little Bedlington Terrier sidekick Biba as The Litter Hound. So as Keep Britain Tidy's Great British Spring Clean (GBSC) campaign rolls round for another year, I'm more than prepared – with both the equipment and chutzpah – to give my local streets a clean sweep.

In 2022 we announced that Jewish Renaissance were Keep Britain Tidy’s official ambassadors to the Jewish community and we’re proud to be taking on that role once again. This year GBSC kicks off on Friday 17 March and runs until Sunday 2 April. How well the campaign chimes too with the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), as we trash collectors do our bit to restore fields and verges to their pristine state, rather than leaving them strewn with unsightly and unhygienic cans, cups, bottles and takeaway boxes. We're also, of course, helping prevent wildlife being tangled up, often fatally, in carelessly abandoned items such as face masks, which have been found attached to birds as far afield as Antarctica.

As well as the ever increasing impact on wildlife – particularly birds – from discarded plastic, another modern threat is vaping. This month, Wildlife and Countryside Link reported that disposable vape use increased a whopping 44% last year compared to 2021. These break down into dangerously small parts that maintain the sweet vape scents – something that attracts wildlife, and dogs especially, and can be fatal if eaten.

The challenge is for each of us, all over the country, to fill a chosen number of rubbish bags – be that one or 101. It all adds up. And I’m pleased to say I’m involved in helping lead the service at The Ark Synagogue in Northwood at the Shabbat evening service on the launch day, Friday 17 March, and have been invited to speak about the campaign and tikkun olam as a d’var Torah (a thought shared with others based on a portion of the Torah).

We hope you, our readers and supporters, will join us in pledging to fill a rubbish bag or more over the fortnight of the campaign. We’d love to see you in action, so please send your pictures in via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or email them to info@jewishrenaissance.org.uk, and we’ll share them on our blog and social channels.

By Judi Herman

The Great British Spring Clean runs Friday 17 March – Sunday 2 April. For more information visit keepbritaintidy.org.