A TOWN-WIDE campaign to make Hitchin tidy was launched at the weekend, with volunteers kicking it off by tackling a Hitchin eyesore.

The campaign, organised by Hitchin Forum and supported by Hitchin Initiative and the Comet, hopes to rid Hitchin of litter before the Jubilee weekend in just over three weeks time.

The effort, which has been launched off the back of the nationwide Love Where You Live campaign, is asking people to tidy up their streets and spruce up residential roads and footpaths, in a bid to make the town a nicer place.

The town centre is not part of the campaign, as Hitchin Forum members feel it is well looked after already.

“This has been a tremendous first effort to launch our Love Hitchin – pick up on litter campaign,” said Hitchin Forum member Ellie Clarke.

“We hope the whole town will respond and enter into the Jubilee spirit to create a litter-free town that we can be proud of for the Jubilee.

“We are joining the national Love Where You Live campaign to rid our neighbourhoods of litter and encourage local residents to care for the areas where they live and regularly walk.”

Those who want to get involved in the campaign will be provided with black bags and litter pickers for collecting rubbish, with the full bags of litter picked up by Hitchin Forum.

It is being suggested that neighbours get together to clean their neighbourhoods on Sunday, May 27 between 10am and noon, but if that’s not convenient, another time can be arranged.

“The main thing is to achieve a clean-up before Jubilee weekend,” added Mrs Clarke.

“We’d like volunteers from each residential street in Hitchin to co-ordinate the cleanup in their areas and take before and after photographs of their efforts.”

The campaign was launched by volunteers on Sunday, who met at the B&Q site in Hitchin to tidy-up the area.

Litterpickers and bags were supplied by Hitchin Initiative, with North Herts District Council arranging to collect the bags of rubbish.

Volunteer Clare Arends said: “The B&Q site has been an eyesore for a long time. It is an appalling welcome to Hitchin for people arriving at the station, so we decided to do something about it.

“With a dozen volunteers, and lots of black bags and litter-pickers provided by Hitchin Initiative, it took little more than an hour to clear the site of all the rubbish. It looks so much better.”

To find out more about the campaign or join in the effort, contact Hitchin Forum by emailing litter@hitchinforum.org.uk or ring 07974 272315.

The Comet also wants to hear from you - if you know of a particularly untidy area in the town, or want to commend someone who goes above and beyond to keep the town tidy, email your pictures or information to laura.burge@thecomet.net

The team that collects the most rubbish will be featured in the Comet newspaper and presented with a prize.