There’s something rather satisfying about filling a bag with rubbish you’ve just removed from your own neighbourhood — particularly when you can have a chat and a drink with fellow litter pickers afterwards.
That was the idea behind the first community litter pick organised by Jazz and Joe from Garage Culture Brewing Company on Sunday 30 August.
The couple, who are behind the brewery, wanted to create an event that combined doing something useful for the local community with the opportunity to meet people and make new connections. The idea was partly inspired by Joe’s dad, who regularly goes litter picking in the village where he lives.
The first group headed towards the Salts, where they collected rubbish. Jazz says the plan is to explore different parts of Rye for future outings, with the litter pick taking place on the last Sunday of every month, from 11.30am to 1pm.
Among the participants was Emma, whom I had previously met at the Gallivant’s beach cleans in Camber. For her, the appeal was being able to do something similar closer to home, “in your local community”. Mark, another participant, was equally pleased that the event took place at the weekend. He works during the week and is therefore unable to attend the monthly beach cleans in Camber Sands, which are always on a Tuesday.
After an hour or so of walking, chatting and filling bags, the group returned to Garage Culture with a surprisingly impressive haul (including a bike wheel!). Participants were rewarded with a free pint or soft drink at the taproom, providing an opportunity to chat and get to know each other.
The event seemed to achieve exactly what Jazz and Joe had hoped for: people came together, met others they might not otherwise have encountered, enjoyed some fresh air — and left Rye a little cleaner than they had found it.
The next litter pick will take place on Sunday 27 September.
Image Credits: Nathalie Desgrange .