If you’d like to set up a new litter group, we suggest you go through 10 easy steps:
1. Think what local area your new group should cover. Then come up with a name for the group. If you’re not sure what to call it, have a look though the directory of volunteer groups and see if inspiration strikes you!
2. Register your group here on litteraction.org.uk so other members can join easily.
3. Write a press release about you and your plans for the group. There is a sample press release in the 'press releases' section of the information centre. It doesn't have to be long, focus on your hopes and ambitions for the group and have a simple ask. An eyecatching headline will also help get the attention of journalists.
4. Ensure to include in the press release the address of your web page on litteraction.org.uk and ask people to go there to register their interest. Make sure you include your contact details on the press release.
5. Phone your local paper and find out which reporter covers your local area. Speak to them if you can, otherwise email them your press release (with a photo if possible).
6. Contact your local council. If you’re not sure who it is, look at who sends you your council tax bill. Find out who the liaison person is for volunteer litter groups. Tell this person what you are doing and ask what help they can give you. Ideas include: loan of litter-pickers, high visibility vests or gloves, refuse sacks, help with insuring your group and perhaps even some funding.
7. Think about drawing up a short constitution for your group. This is good practice anyway as it ensures that everyone is clear about what the group is for and how it should work. Also a constitution is often required if you are going to apply for funding for equipment and running costs. If you decide against a constitution, don't get too worried - it is often the case that groups have a strong relationship with their local council who can support litter picking activity. LitterAction can also supply your group with limited resources.
8. When you have recruited one or two members (it doesn’t need to be many), have a meeting and agree how the group will be run and where you are going to do your first litter pick. You could, at this stage, send another press release to your local paper saying when and where the litter pick will be and asking people to come and join you. Don’t forget to update your page on litteraction.org.uk to show when and where the litter pick will take place.
9. Make sure that, when you are out on the litter pick, it is clear to passers-by what your group is. You can hand out leaflets telling people about your group and wear high-visibility vests with your group’s name on them. This way, you will get people to take notice of what you are doing and more will join your group. Also, take photos of your litter pick.
10. After the pick, send a report (with photos) to your local paper again ensuring you include your litteraction.org.uk webpage address. Post photos and, if you wish, a short account of the litter pick on your litteraction.org.uk webpage. Don't forget to tell us how many bags you have picked up. Then, repeat steps eight to 10!
Start a group now
T hank you for deciding to create a new litter group. The following process will mean that you will automatically become the "Group Coordinator" for a new LitterAction group. This means an e-mail address will be shown on your group's page on the Litteraction website. If you would prefer to use a different e-mail address for your Group Coordinator activities, you will, during the registration process, be given the option of creating a new personal e-mail address for this purpose free of charge at Googlemail or Hotmail.
Inputting your group details on the 'Create a group' form
A. Register
1. Go to the "Groups Map" page (under Volunteer Groups on the green navigation panel) and click on the "Create a new group" link at the bottom right of the page
2. If you have already registered on the Litteraction website, input your username and password, click on "log-in" and proceed to paragraph B below ("Create Your Group"). If you end up being directed to your existing group's page and you want to create a webpage for a new group, click on the "create a group" link at the top right-hand corner of your existing group's webpage
3. If you are a new user, click on "new user" and choose a user name and password. Input your personal e-mail address - this e-mail address won't be shown anywhere on the website if you don't want it to be and you will be given the option of creating a new e-mail address, if you want to, that you can display on your group page as the group coordinator's e-mail address. Input your name (as you would like it to appear on your group's page) and your contact details
4. Leave the "Group" box as stating "new group"
5. Click on the drop-down menu for the "Where did you hear about us?" box and make your choice
6. Click on the "terms and conditions" link to read the terms and conditions before you proceed
7. If you agree with the terms and conditions, click on "Create Account"
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B. Create Your Group
You should now be looking at the "Create a Group" form.
1. Input your group's name
2. Input the date that your group was founded using the "dd/mm/yyy" format e.g. "04/05/1997" - this will be displayed on your group's page
3. In the "About the Group" box, describe your group's activities so that anyone visiting your group page can clearly understand what your group does - this will be displayed on your group's page
4. If your group already has a website, input the address here in the format "www......" (there is no need to type http://)
5. If you wish to litter-pick on your own, click the "Solo group ?" box so that you leave a tick in it - other people will not then be able to join your "group"
6. In "Areas Covered", describe the geographical area(s) that your group covers so that someone local wanting to join your group can see, at a glance, which detailed areas you cover. This information will be displayed on your group's page
7. Input your e-mail address - which will be available (by clicking through to it) to all visitors to your group's web page. If you don't want to use your current personal e-mail address for this, please click on the Googlemail or Hotmail link to set up a new personal e-mail address for this purpose
8. Input your name as Group Coordinator - this will be displayed on your group's page
9. We would appreciate it very much if you also input your postal address as there may be rare occasions when we need to contact you (e.g. if there is a problem with your webpage) and we might not be able to contact you via your e-mail (but we promise not to use your postal address to send you mailings)
10. Please input your nearest town or city (or your "postal town") as this will be used on your group webpage and on the events calendar to show people where in the country you are based
11. Please input one full postcode (e.g. your home postcode) which will be used only to mark your group accurately on the UK map and will not be displayed on the website
12. Please add any other contact information (e.g. a phone number) that will help us to contact you if we need to get in touch with you
13. Click on the "Create !" button at the foot of the page and you will be taken to your group's newly-created page
Now you have done this please see instructions on managing your webpage.
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