A GOVERNMENT fund has helped kit out litter heroes and high streets in Dorset this summer.

Campaign group Litter Free Dorset has used this fund to support clean-ups across the county and develop projects to reduce litter.

The £9.75m fund from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government aims to help local authorities work with their residents on cleaning up the high street.

Each town has a range of different litter issues, from cigarette litter and chewing gum to single-use plastic. By working with communities in Dorset, Litter Free Dorset is identifying these issues and is supporting projects and interventions to reduce rubbish.

It has been able to support the formation of new groups in rural areas and help coordinate specific clean-ups.

New projects this summer include the ‘two-minute litter picking board’ campaign, clean graffiti art aimed at tourists, and ‘Gumdrop’ chewing gum recycling bins.

The two-minute litter pick boards encourage communities to do mini litter picks when they are out walking or popping to the shops.

Businesses and organisations are supporting the campaign as board guardians.

Additionally, litter pickers, high visibility vests and re-usable gloves have been handed out to local litter picking groups. These include Litter Free Purbeck, Gillingham Litter Pickers, Hilltop Pickers in Shaftesbury, Sherborne Stop The Litter Campaign, Clean up Blandford, The Recycling Store in Ferndown, Wimborne War on Waste and Litter Free Purbeck.

Recently, six large jars full of cigarette ends were cleared from the streets of Swanage by the latter group in a bid to stop the hazardous waste from polluting the marine environment off the Jurassic Coast

Cigarette butts are the most commonly found form of ocean litter, and represent 40 per cent of all street litter in the UK.

Litter Free Dorset is made up of a group of local organisations, charities and community groups. They all work together to reduce the social, economic and environmental impacts of litter.

This is done by trying to stop littering behaviour in the first place through implementing campaigns, policy and co-producing projects to reduce waste and litter in Dorset.

Litter Free Dorset also work alongside local litter picking groups to help coordinate regular clean-ups throughout Dorset.

Visit litterfreedorset.co.uk.