Kettering residents to come together again for Great Spring Clean

Volunteers will gather at 10am on Saturday (March 21) at Kettering Clock Tower at the bottom of Gold Street for this year’s Great Kettering Spring Clean, with activities running until 2pm as part of the national Great British Spring Clean.

The Kettering event first took place in 2025 and saw more than 100 volunteers for a major day of community action across Kettering town centre.

By the end of the day, more than 150 bags of rubbish had been collected, all of the town centre planters had been replanted, graffiti removed, bus shelters cleaned, shop fronts painted and vinyl artwork installed on the front of the former bingo hall, alongside many other visible improvements.

This year, organisers hope to build on that success with local groups once again joining forces to help give the town centre a fresh lift.

Groups already involved include Kettering Huxloe Rotary, Kettering Cleaning Club, Kettering Wombles and Love Kettering, together with businesses, families and individual volunteers.

Adam from the Kettering Cleaning Club said: “At last year’s spring clean, I had never seen the town so alive. Not only did we tidy the town, but we showed that Kettering has a really strong community.

“It was great fun and really rewarding! Since then, the cleaning efforts have only snowballed in Kettering.

“We created our club and have been working on some exciting projects renovating and celebrating Kettering, and so many more people are coming forward to help spruce up the town with new and brilliant ideas.”

Jade from the Kettering Wombles said: “The Kettering Wombles are absolutely buzzing with excitement as the Kettering Spring Clean approaches! After a long winter, our wonderful town is ready for a fresh start, and we can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in.

“We’re incredibly proud of our community, and events like this show what can happen when people come together with a shared goal. Whether you’re a seasoned litter-picker or joining us for the first time, every helping hand makes a difference.”

Cllr David Donaghue has been leading the support for the event from the Kettering Town Council. He said: “It really means a lot that people are willing to volunteer for the Spring Clean and help to tidy up our home town."

Kim from the Kettering Huxloe Rotary Club added: “We are delighted to be involved in the Kettering Spring Clean again. The day is full of amazing people that care about where they live and they are making a massive difference. This is the essence of Rotary and we are proud to help too.”

James from Love Kettering said, “We started Love Kettering to help shine a light on all the amazing people and parts of our town that make it such a great place to live which often don’t get the attention they deserve. We’re immensely proud of our community and their willingness to support each other, and the Great Kettering Spring Clean is such a great example of that.”

Organiser of the first Kettering Spring Clean Cllr Emily Fedorowycz said: “Last year showed just how much can be achieved in a few hours when people come together with pride in their town. The difference was immediate and visible, and we hope even more people will join in this year!”

Individuals, families, friends, sponsors and organisations can still sign up at www.ketteringcleaningclub.uk. Anyone with questions can also contact organisers on 01536 234 387.