Tidy Tavi

Tidy Tavi is a local litter-picking group that has been tidying the streets of Tavistock once a month since October 2011. Winners of a Royal Horticultural Society level 4 Britain in Bloom award this year, the group was described as being ‘thriving’. This is certainly true as volunteer numbers grow steadily and reflect a broadening age range and now include many families with young children. This is seen by organisers as a very encouraging and important trend as the seeds of environmental awareness are cultivated in the minds of a future generation of citizens. The movement is truly organic in that organisers have been very careful over the years to minimise bureaucracy and guide development in a subtle way. There is no requirement to register, sign up or commit to regular attendance in any way. Volunteers simply turn up on the day and enjoy a sociable and worthwhile activity that is often described as being fun, satisfying or even addictive!

The group’s equipment, consisting of litter-pickers, high visibility jackets, rubbish bags and collecting hoops, has been purchased using grants from Devon County Council, Tavistock Lions Club, Tesco and the Meadowlands Leisure Centre. The management of the Leisure Centre have been particularly supportive, providing a base for volunteers to work from, free refreshments and equipment storage facilities. Other businesses in Tavistock offer complementary refreshments for volunteers during their work and various other forms of assistance. The rubbish collected, often in very large quantities, is disposed of by West Devon Borough Council with whom the group has an excellent relationship. With this in mind, Tidy Tavi volunteers frequently spot instances of fly-tipping, overflowing rubbish bins and other matters of concern to the public, which are all reported to WDBC which takes prompt action to deal with them.

If you would like to help out and take positive action in your community, why not volunteer with Tidy Tavi? Meet at the Meadowlands Leisure Centre on the first Saturday of each month as advertised in the ‘What’s On’ section of this publication? Everybody is welcome!