Hitchin Forum's Big Spring-Clean on Sunday 18^th October saw 15 areas in the town cleared of rubbish. Although at about 110 the number of volunteers was slightly down compared with our spring clean in March, about 90 bags of litter were collected in total, consistent with previous events.

Parents and leader of the 11^th Hitchin Guides and Rangers gathered 26 bags of rubbish from the Dell. Council Leader Val Bryant and Councillor Dave Winstanley joined a team working on Cadwell Lane and the nearby recreation ground. Once again, exiled former Hitchin resident Chris Hall joined a team of 16 to clear King George's Playing Field. A number of individuals worked on local footpaths and roads in the Redhill Road and Poets' estate areas, and for the first time St John's playing field was cleared. At the end of the event the areas cleared looked immaculate. It is sad that messages about safety and recycling continue to be ignored by what must be a very small minority. Once again, a car battery was found on the Poets' estate, and various electrical items were found dumped when they could yield useful materials. A Dyson vacuum cleaner was found on Butts Close. There was the usual crop of disposable vapes, and worryingly the number of catering cans containing nitrous oxide (now an illegal class C drug) seems to be on the rise. This event saw the second find of a Walkers crisp packet from 1992. One from the same year was found in March. It would be interesting to know whether Walkers used a particularly robust packaging material for their products at about that time.

On behalf of the Forum, and the town, a big 'thank you' again goes to our wonderful volunteers, the Guides and members of Hitchin Tennis Club. Thanks too to Town Centre Manager, Danny Pearson, his front of house staff and team of Town Centre Rangers who help to distribute the equipment and provide cheerful encouragement. North Hertfordshire Council contractors dealt with the extra material collected.

If you would like to take part in the Forum's spring event in March, please email [email protected] – the date will be announced soon.