Litter Picking Group

Oxleas Wood

Saturday, 3rd October 2026

A beautiful day, thirteen keen volunteers, and an expansive meadow and woodland to meander through, chatting to others and collecting litter as they go. What could be better for the soul?

The black rubbish sacks pinned to trees in the dark wooded area beside Oxleas Car Park are definitely having a positive impact – reducing the amount of litter on the ground and trapped among the brambles. This, in turn, helps prevent plastics from breaking down into the soil and affecting woodland wildlife and vegetation. Although we still haven’t discovered who is responsible, we love it! It’s good to have others taking responsibility for litter collection, and would be better still if we could prevent people dropping it in the first place.

Generally, however, the meadow was pretty much litter-free, although there was a significant amount around its margins, close to the pathways. So we were still kept busy, eventually collecting 17 full rubbish sacks, together with a towel, a quilt cover and a hubcap!

Shelters and Terrace

Just two weeks ago, while tending Jackwood Garden, volunteers cleared all the rubbish from in and around the top shelters on the terrace – cigarette ends, lighters, sweet wrappers and numerous plastic drinks bottles – as well as giving the walls, woodwork and floors a thorough sweep. But again, despite there being a bin just a few metres away, our litter pickers found more bottles and other litter!

Can you help keep our Shelters litter-free?

Unfortunately, our wonderful volunteer, who for many years used to regularly clear litter from the shelters, is no longer able to do so. We are very grateful for her many hours of work in keeping them clean, tidy and a lovely place to enjoy the peace and quiet of the woodlands. We will greatly miss her contribution. Thank you, Liz!

If you would like to help make a difference to the woodlands and this is something you could volunteer to do regularly, please email to let us know:

Contact Christine – Oxleas.volunteers@gmail.com

Thanks again to our volunteers for helping to keep the woodlands and meadows clean.