Training: We would love to be able to provide our volunteers and Ambassadors a scheme to gain skills that they can take forward elsewhere (such as managing positive behaviour, dealing with confrontation etc). Formal training is difficult within the timeframe and under the restrictions, but we have agreed to work together to establish what works, learning points, and look into how we can establish programmes in future years. 

Text to Empty Bins: We pitched an idea to NTC to provide signage on bins to increase accountability along the lines of “Is this bin full? next bin is XX steps away, please do not allow this bin to overflow and consider taking your rubbish/recycling home with you.” alongside a “Text to empty” QR code to inform the cleansing teams. NTC have already began looking at best practice around this idea and are keen to learn form that in order to plan how they could integrate it in the medium term, however Cullercoats Collective may look into helping them pilot this now. Please do get in touch with us if you feel like this is something you can get involved in, or do consider a donation to assist us with funding a “text to empty” project. (*we can only use the links we’ve already established this year! It may assist us with collecting data on the busiest bins to help inform the route Council take to empty them.)

Environmental Sustainability: Alongside getting better bins and more recycling facilities, we’re also interested in getting involved with longer term strategies to combat the types of litter we see alongside the Environment Sustainable Team. Many of our local businesses provide recyclable/compostable single-use items, particularly given the increased use of them in response to COVID, however they all end up in the same bins, taking up a lot of space (and therefore contributing to them overflowing), or require industrial composting facilities.