Hundreds of volunteers are expected to join staff from the JEP and its launch partners at the first Countryside Clean-up next month.
For the inaugural event on 7 April, seven parishes, each sponsored by a local business, will be the focus of an unprecedented drive to clean up as much of the Island’s countryside as possible. Islanders of all ages are invited to get involved on the day and demonstrate their commitment to practical, positive action.
The Countryside Clean-up will be followed by the JEP’s second Coastal Clean-up in June, which comes after last year’s successful event in which volunteers removed litter from several of the Island’s beaches and seaside paths.
The two events planned for this year follow the launch of the JEP’s new quarterly magazine, ecoJersey, which focuses on local environmental issues in a global context. It was created to engage, inform and encourage readers to think about their impact on the environment, bring Islanders together and promote positive action.
Its editor, Charles Troy, said that he hoped the magazine and the events being held under the ecoJersey banner would raise environmental awareness and encourage action in many ways, focusing on topics as diverse as the natural environment and transport to the built environment as well as recycling, farming and environmental regulation.
The 2019 Clean-up initiatives will be officially launched at a special event at the Town Hall on Thursday evening, which has been organised by the JEP and sponsored by ecoJersey launch partner Jersey Electricity.
The event will bring together more than 150 people, including the Lieutenant-Governor, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, and Lady Dalton, States Members and representatives of government departments, parishes, charities, NGOs, businesses, environmental action groups and schools.
Mr Troy said: ‘Following ecoJersey’s lauch in February, our Countryside Clean-up further cements the JEP’s commitment to ensuring that environmental issues are placed at the top of the Island’s agenda.
‘We hope Islanders of all ages will support this initiative and use the opportunity to send the message that we are sufficiently concerned about the parlous state of the environment, and our negative impact on it, to do something about it.
‘The very fact that we are able to roll out this campaign, with our launch
partners, illustrates the support we are getting from businesses, and we hope this will be matched by the public. Just by showing up, Islanders will be making a statement.’
He added that tonight’s event was an opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders to come together to learn how they could work in partnership to make positive change happen.
‘We are using the reach and influence of the JEP and its launch partners to build a consensus around the need for action and to bring relevant people and groups together to enable that to happen,’ Mr Troy explained.
‘The Clean-up events are a demonstration of intent and will be followed by many other initiatives.’
The JEP is working with one of its sister companies, EC Events, to organise the Clean-ups.
Julie Settle, of EC Events, said of the Countryside Clean-up: ‘We hope this event will be the first of many and expect it to become an annual event. It comes at the same time as the national spring clean-up which is happening across the UK and sees people getting out into their community to do their bit in keeping their neighbourhood clean and tidy.
‘We would also like to encourage everyone to get involved, whether or not they live in a participating parish.’
She added that they would provide cotton bags, gloves and high-visibility vests for the clean-ups, but said people could bring their own if they wanted.
The parishes
St Helier: Jersey Electricity
Trinity: Affinity Private Wealth
St Brelade: JP Restaurants
St Mary: Green Laundry Room
St Peter: Butterfield Bank
St Ouen: Blue Ocean Fund
Grouville: Channel Islands Co-operative Society
