At Spritely Sustainable CIC, we believe that clean, cared-for streets help people feel proud of where they live—and that’s where real change begins. Since launching the Community Clean-up initiative in February 2025, we’ve transformed neglected spaces in Arnold, through weekly graffiti removal, litter picking, planting, creative workshops, and community events.

In just 90 days, we built something truly special:

• 2 million views across social media, with thousands of local people watching, sharing, and supporting our mission.
• A 98% improvement in local pride, with 100% of surveyed residents saying they want our work to continue.
• A follower base that’s grown more than tenfold—and counting.

But these numbers are only part of the story. What matters most is the feeling: the quiet power of turning up on a rainy Saturday to revive a public bench, the buzz of children planting flowers on their high street, the way strangers become teammates. We've seen firsthand how restoring places can restore people, too.

Our small team is passionate about bringing people together through hands-on action that improves physical and mental health, reduces loneliness, builds community pride, and creates a sense of belonging. We’ve seen how removing graffiti, clearing overgrown pathways, or reviving a tired public space can spark hope and connection in people of all ages.

But we don’t want it to stop with us.

Our vision is to inspire and equip community-led Spritely teams in towns across Gedling Borough—wherever there is a group of people who wish to take pride in their place and make a visible difference. These teams will be trained, supported, and given the tools to lead their own street-level clean-up and restoration projects, tailored to the needs of their local area.

Funding goals:

With your support, we’ll invest in essential equipment to make clean-up tasks easier and more efficient for our volunteers. We'll start with a cordless garden blower and pressure washer.

We’ll also use the funds to cover start-up costs for new community teams and develop a structured training programme to equip local residents with the skills and confidence to lead clean-ups in their neighbourhoods. This will allow us to grow sustainably, expand our reach, and increase our overall capacity without compromising the quality or impact of our work.

Youth Empowerment:

A key part of our growth will be focused on youth engagement. Many of our regular volunteers are children and young people, and we want to build on that. Arnold is currently experiencing a rise in antisocial behaviour, and we believe this can’t be solved by enforcement alone. It takes positive opportunities, trust, and visible change.

With additional funding, we’ll invest time in understanding the needs and views of young people in our community. We want to give them a platform to shape their town, contribute meaningfully, and feel a sense of ownership and pride.

Some early conversations have already highlighted a desire for youth-led street art projects and fun, inclusive activities that feel designed with—not just for—young people.

In response, and funding permitting, we plan to launch a new weekly model: “Clean-Up & Play” sessions in local parks. These events will begin with a short clean-up—litter picking, tidying, or light maintenance—followed by free multi-sport activities led by a qualified coach. The idea is simple: give a little time to care for the space, then enjoy it together through fun, accessible sports like football, rounders or cricket.

By linking light volunteering with casual, family-friendly sport, we make it easier for people—especially children and young people—to get active, feel part of something, and have a positive reason to participate in community life.

Together, we can create a ripple effect of pride, purpose, and people-powered care, starting right here on the streets we call home.

Our vision is simple: a borough full of clean, green, hopeful places—each cared for by its community. Together, we can build a network of empowered residents who believe, as we do, that small actions lead to big change.

How Our Project Supports Climate Action and Builds Resilient Communities

At Spritely Sustainable CIC, we believe climate action begins at street level—with people, pride, and place. Our community clean-up and greening programme tackles environmental issues but also creates a ripple effect of care, connection, and climate-conscious behaviour. Our activities go far beyond picking up litter; they actively contribute to climate change prevention, preparation, and protection, particularly in deprived areas like town centres that are often most at risk and least supported.

Reducing Emissions Through Preventive Action

One of the clearest ways our project contributes to climate action is through reducing the need for high-emission council interventions. By manually removing weeds, sweeping leaf litter, and cleaning pavements, we protect public infrastructure such as tarmac, pavements, cobbled streets, and kerbside drainage systems. These surfaces, when neglected, degrade faster—leading to expensive and carbon-intensive resurfacing or chemical spraying.

By replacing these responses with people-powered care, we reduce the need for petrol-powered machinery and harmful weed killers. To date, we’ve saved an estimated 4,695 kg of CO₂e at a cost of just £1.06 per kg—making our model far more cost-effective than most commercial carbon offset schemes. Investing in battery-powered tools and solar infrastructure will only improve this impact over time.

Green Spaces That Cool, Connect, and Clean Our Towns

Our planting work restores and enhances green corridors—bringing pollinator-friendly flowers, seasonal colour, and vegetation back into grey, forgotten areas. These green spaces do more than beautify. They cool urban heat, reduce air pollution, support biodiversity, and act as carbon sinks. They are also a visual sign that someone cares. And in a high street where graffiti and vandalism are the norm, that message matters.

Maintained planters, flowerbeds, and verge plantings all contribute to greater climate resilience. They help slow water runoff, reduce soil erosion, and improve the area’s ability to absorb extreme weather events—all of which are becoming more frequent.

Flood Prevention Starts at Ground Level

One of our work's overlooked contributions is flood risk reduction. We have seen firsthand how the build-up of moss, leaf litter, and organic waste on pavements and kerbs leads to blocked drainage channels. Over time, this not only causes pooling and flooding during heavy rainfall but also encourages more vegetation growth in the very places where water should flow.

By keeping these areas clear through regular community clean-ups, we protect key drainage infrastructure and reduce the risk of localised flooding—especially in low-lying or paved town centres like Arnold.

Improving Mental Health and Civic Resilience

Cleaner, greener spaces make people feel better—it’s that simple. But it’s also supported by public health evidence. Environments filled with litter, neglect, and graffiti reinforce a deprivation mindset. People are less likely to go outside, socialise, walk, or take pride in their neighbourhoods. This has a knock-on effect on our mental health, public safety, and social cohesion.

Our project combats this by sparking a visible change. Community-led action replaces frustration with empowerment and passivity with pride. Whether it’s a young person scrubbing off graffiti for the first time or an older adult joining a planting session after months of isolation, these small moments matter.

They build climate awareness through lived experience and demonstrate that care is contagious. When people see their neighbours doing their bit for the environment, they are more likely to take action too.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Environmental Stewards

One of our most important outcomes is the engagement of young people. By involving local schools, families, and youth volunteers in clean-up events and allotment workshops, we show that environmental care is something everyone can be part of. We are not lecturing—we are leading by example.

In town centres, where antisocial behaviour and disconnection are often highest, this kind of involvement is vital. It shows young people that their surroundings matter, that people care, and that they can be part of something bigger. This is how climate resilience becomes embedded not just in policies, but in culture.

Involving young people builds the foundation for long-term behavioural change. These future leaders will inherit the climate crisis—we must equip and inspire them to act now.

Strengthening Deprived Areas Through Environmental Pride

We deliberately focus our work in neglected and deprived areas, such as town centres, where signs of decline are most visible. These spaces are often overlooked by mainstream climate initiatives, yet they are disproportionately impacted by environmental decline, from flooding and heatwaves to social isolation and crime.

By restoring these places, we not only improve their climate resilience but also shift local narratives from decline to possibility. This gives communities permission to imagine something better and the tools to make it happen.

Through our clean-up programme, greening projects, and inclusive growing space at the allotment, we’re proving that environmental care isn’t a luxury—it’s a community right. And when people feel that their environment is worth caring for, they begin to care more about themselves, each other, and the planet.

By maintaining clean, green spaces through people power, we cut emissions at the source, promote biodiversity, and improve resilience in deprived areas most vulnerable to environmental decline. 

Beyond carbon, we improve wellbeing, reduce antisocial behaviour, and bring economic uplift to high streets—proving that climate action can also drive social resilience and community regeneration.