Litter action

Published: 27 May, 2010

• THOUSANDS of visitors enjoyed the Parliament Hill area of Hampstead Heath last weekend, and picnicked and sunbathed in the tropical weather.
Although a few left litter on the grass, the overwhelming majority carefully bagged up their refuse and stacked it around the overflowing refuse bins. 

In contrast it is very sad that on sunny schooldays, children from the four local schools enjoy these same areas at lunchtime, in breaks, and after school but then repeatedly trash them by leaving appalling amounts of litter on the grass, even when next to a waste bin. (Littering pupils is bug issue on Heath, May 20). 

Years ago, children would be condemned by parents and teachers alike for leaving litter and for failing to pick up litter left by others.  Today although schools teach social responsibility, they do not seem to put this into practice and appear to disown anything that happens outside their gates. 

Although talks between Michael Wellbank, Heath chairman, and Robbie Cathcart of William Ellis School are encouraging, these have yet to be translated into action. 
Parliament Hill, Acland Burghley and La Sainte Union Schools apparently have not even acknowledged that their pupils are part of this problem. 

To demonstrate the mess, I suggest that Heath staff leave Duke’s Field by the tennis courts uncleared from Monday morning, and then invite the four headteachers and local residents to view the accumulated rubbish on Thursday afternoon. 

The four schools could easily organise rotas for senior children to pick litter on a weekly or daily basis from this area. If there is no significant improvement, then all children should be kept on school premises during breaks and lunchtime until they appreciate that they should behave considerately to others.
JEREMY WRIGHT
Croftdown Road, NW