Seven schools in the north of the city have banded together to launch Keep North Docks Tidy – a four-month pilot project to clean up their local community.
To mark the start of the project, 99 young people took to the streets to take part in this year’s Great British Spring Clean litter-picking campaign.
Together the schools collected over 90 bags of litter, some of which will be returned to the pupils to be recycled into different art pieces.
The pilot is a partnership between Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Streetscene Services, Onward Homes, Keep Britain Tidy, Veolia, and primary schools based in the North Docks neighbourhood.
The Council introduced a neighbourhood model in 2023 to be able to identify and address the unique issues that areas of the city face.
North Docks is one of 13 neighbourhoods in Liverpool, including the Kirkdale East, Kirkdale West, County, Vauxhall, and Waterfront North wards.
Keep North Docks Tidy was started to take place at the same time as Onward Homes’ retrofitting project in the area, to make households more energy efficient and sustainable.
Local schools and the Council looked at other ways to improve the neighbourhood at the same time and decided to launch a project to tackle the area’s low levels of recycling and high rates of fly-tipping.
The pilot will last for the remainder of the academic year and is centred around the key message of ‘the environment belongs to everyone’.
Over the next few months, young people will discuss ways to reduce litter and waste, get hands on lessons with a recycling wagon, and visit Gillmoss Recycling Centre to learn about the journey of recycling.
Pupils will also have the chance to design posters encouraging positive behaviours for their community and present their ideas to Cabinet Members and Council staff at a special event at Liverpool Town Hall.
Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene said: “The pupils taking part in this pilot are incredibly proud of their communities and want to work together to make a lasting impact, a vision that’s shared by the Council and our partners.
“The enthusiasm and creative ideas already shown by our young people are exactly what’s needed when it comes to influencing positive behaviour change.
“I can’t wait to hear the ideas that they come up with at the Town Hall and work with them to help make change happen. They are the leaders of the future and it’s fantastic to be able to show them how services work and give them a platform to have their voices heard.”
Fikrim Haxhifazliu, a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Gwladys Street Primary School said: “We’re really happy to be part of this project because we want our young people to feel proud of their community and understand the importance of looking after the environment. At Gwladys Street, we believe that even small actions, like keeping our area clean and being mindful of waste, can make a big difference.
“Caring for the environment is something we talk about a lot in school because it’s about more than just keeping things tidy; it’s about responsibility, respect, and making sure we leave the world in a better place for future generations. This project is a great way for our pupils to see that their efforts matter and that they can have a real impact on the world around them”
Joanne Danaher, Director of Housing and Home Ownership at Onward said: “We are now well underway with our community-led regeneration project in Kirkdale, with decarbonisation works making over 400 homes warmer, quieter and more comfortable for customers.
“As part of this, we are also investing into the community here through initiatives that share our commitment of enabling people to be their best, in a home they love and place they are proud of.
“Our work with local partners is already making a meaningful difference to the lives of the people living here and we are delighted to be supporting these young people in their efforts to improve the environment.”
