Meet a local litter hero!

This month, #litterhero Steven Champion will be telling us why he set up Roding Rubbish and what it means to him to be part of the Barking & Dagenham litter-picking community.


“When I moved in to Barking 3 years ago, I didn't really know anyone and was feeling quite isolated. A chance conversation with some neighbours gave me the idea to organise a litter pick in the area so I could meet some locals.


“In March 2019, 6 neighbours completed the first Roding Rubbish litter pick. We LOVED it!
“I'll never forget when a neighbour turned to me and said ‘you know what, the last few hours is the longest I've gone without thinking about work in years.’


“This really struck a chord and I said ‘I feel the same’.


“From that moment, we were hooked. Now nearly 3 years on, Roding Rubbish has grown to over 50 volunteers who have litter-picked over 3,500 bags of rubbish around Barking & Dagenham. My wellbeing has had a huge boost and I feel connected to my community in a way I never imagined.”


Do you want to meet others and help make our borough cleaner and greener? Check out the upcoming litter picking events on this page or set up your own.