KEEP WALES Tidy’s vision to create a cleaner, more environmentally friendly Flintshire has taken another giant leap forward thanks to the launch of the Only Rain Down the Drain project.
As part of the charity’s initiative to eradicate litter across the nation, the scheme aims to spread its ‘only rain down the drain’ message by highlighting how improper waste disposal pollutes our oceans, rivers, canals, and lakes.
With more than 2 million pieces of rubbish discarded in the UK every day and £70m spent to remove litter in Wales annually, the programme plans to engage with more than 55 schools within Flintshire to mark drains with non-permanent yellow chalk spray or fish stencils as a reminder to correctly dispose of garbage.
Made possible thanks to Flintshire County Council and the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the project includes both English and Welsh stencils with messaging such as ‘the sea starts here’ and ‘please don’t litter’, as well as imagery of fish.
Schools signing up to the initiative will receive interactive lesson plans from Flintshire County Council for years 1-10 explaining how to prevent water pollution, the role of clean water in the eco-system, and the importance of keeping roadside drains free from waste.
The official Only Rain Down the Drain launch took place at the Festival of the Sea held at the Flint’s castle on Saturday 22 March where team members and volunteers conducted an on-site litter pick.
To further raise the profile, the charity piloted the project with St Marys Catholic Primary School, which is part of Keep Wales Tidy Eco-Schools, the world’s largest global educational programme which engages upwards of 20 million children across more than 100 countries.
Keep Wales Tidy project officer Carolyne Prew said: “We have worked hard to coordinate a scheme we believe will inspire people to take action against littering and develop a greater respect for nature.
“Without the support of the UKSPF, we wouldn’t have been able to organise the initiative as it has allowed us to purchase the necessary materials such as stencils and eco-friendly spray paints.
“Moreover, the opportunity to engage with schools through the scheme is great as we can educate the next generation in the value of caring for the planet and their role in preventing water pollution.”
Keep Wales Tidy received £95,397 from Flintshire County Council’s allocation of the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and undertook several projects aimed at preserving the county’s environment.
Of this total, approximately £1,433.45 has been invested in materials for the Only Rain Down the Drain project as part of the charity’s wider mission to protect the planet.
Councillor Chris Dolphin, Flintshire County Council cabinet member for economy, environment, and climate, said: “Keep Wales Tidy has chosen a great way to raise awareness of the need to be more considerate of the environment.
“I look forward to seeing the positive impact the programme will have on the attitudes and perceptions of communities across Flintshire toward littering.”
