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Councils running their FREE Litter Bug activity trails competition during the school summer holidays

Published Thursday 18 July 2024

From Friday 19 July to Sunday 11 August South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils are once again running FREE Litter Bug Detectives activity trails for children across the districts.

Those taking part have a chance to win £20 vouchers for themselves and a rainbow-coloured bench – made from recycled plastic – for their school.

Image shows carton of a large blue (litter) bug dropping rubbish

The trails average between 1-2km on marked routes around six local parks and recreation grounds across South Oxfordshire and the Vale. There are 10 stops on each route with questions on waste and recycling. The answers to the questions give letter clues to make up a two-word answer at the end.

The activity is aimed at primary school children (under-12s) to promote recycling and reuse messages and explain the damage litter does to our environment.

Each child, who sends in the correct answer, can request a personalised Litter Bug Detectives certificate. They are also entered into a prize draw – one draw for each council – for £20 vouchers for themselves and a bench for their school.

Cllr Sam James-Lawrie South Oxfordshire District Council cabinet member for Environment said: “The councils have run these trails in the past during the summer and have proved to be very popular with many children taking part and many adults telling us they were pleased the councils provided something fun and free to do during the school holidays. For us, it’s another way to promote recycling and reuse to people of all ages.”

Cllr Mark Coleman, Vale of White Horse District Council cabinet member for Environmental Services and Waste, said: “The trails are fun, free and full of interesting and practical information about different types of waste, including how to reduce it.”

How to take part

  1. Go to our Litterbug Detectives nature trail webpage and download the trail map of the area you wish to visit. The map will show a trail of 10 stops.
  2. At each stop there will be a question on the theme of waste and recycling. The answers will provide a letter to make two words.
  3. Email the two-word answer and your name and address and school to waste.team@southandvale.gov.uk before midnight on 30 August and the team will send you a Litter Bug Detective Certificate and enter you for the prize draw. Terms and conditions are on our web pages above.

Notes to editors

The trails will be available from 19 July at the following sites: