The Big Bromley Brush Up is a year-round campaign to make our borough an even cleaner, greener, and safer place to live, work and visit. Join the residents’ associations, uniformed youth groups, businesses, religious groups, schools and many other community groups and individuals who have arranged or participated in an activity or event to help improve their neighbourhoods. If you love where you live, and can spare a few hours here and there, join us and other like-minded citizens to do something practical and positive to make Bromley even better!
Inspect an area and report any things that need attention to us
We want you to live in a great place with clean air and water, and beautiful open spaces to make you healthier and to feel happier.
Sadly, when there’s lots of rubbish in your neighbourhood, it not only affects animals, but it can also harm humans: Litter such as cans and glass can result in cuts, injuries and strangled wildlife; carelessly thrown away cigarette butts can start a fire, and pollute soil and waterways; and some waste, such as asbestos, can even be life threatening.
Research has shown that there’s a link between crime and an untidy area where there’s lots of rubbish, graffiti and fly-posting. These places tend to be avoided as people think they may be unsafe. Council officers are routinely out and about looking for things like this all year round, but they can’t be everywhere all of the time!
How about taking a stroll to see if there is anything you can spot that needs attention, and letting us know so we can investigate and take appropriate action.
Download the neighbourhood checklist sheet (PDF - 350.44 KB)
Organise a litter picking event
Or you could organise a litter picking event with your neighbours, friends and family or community group. Just register as a Street Friend, and we’ll be in touch to let you know how we can assist with the arrangements; give health and safety advice; provide things like litter pickers and plastic sacks to collect litter; and take the rubbish away when you’ve finished.
Improve your local park or green space
Perhaps you’d like to become a Park Friend to make a difference to the quality, accessibility and management of your local green space. Our volunteers work in urban parks, woodlands, the countryside, allotments, churchyards and on sports, heritage and archaeological sites.
Look after nearby street trees
Or register as a Tree Friend to do things like removing basal growth from the base of street trees to make the pavements and roadsides safer or keeping an eye out for any dangerous or diseased trees and reporting them to us. You could also assist with the watering of newly planted trees, so our borough continues to be the greenest in London with the highest number of Street Trees, enhancing the vista and improving air quality for all.
Remove snow in winter
Bromley Council removes snow from prioritised routes and outside schools, shopping centres and transport interchanges; subject to availability, we can provide you with snow scoops and bags of salt to remove snow from your pavements and quiet residential roads if you’d like to help keep your street safe in wintry conditions.
Report a problem in a Public Right of Way
Each Tuesday the Probation Service arranges for a mobile team who have been given Community Payback Orders to inspect our Public Rights of Way, and litter pick and remove any overhanging vegetation where necessary. Not only does this keep our footpaths tidy, safe and assessable for all, but it is a constructive way for offenders to give back to the community.
If you spot a Public Right of Way that needs attention, do let us know and we’ll refer it for a Payback team to sort out.
Report a problem in a Public Right of Way
Join an activity or event
In addition to activities being undertaken by volunteers in our streets and parks, there are other activities and events going on such as the occasional river-clean up so our waterways are also kept clean and tidy.
Details of organised environmental activities and events
Organise an activity or event
Let us know if you have any other ideas for an activity or event to make our borough even cleaner, greener and safer, and we’ll be in touch to see how we can assist.
I would like to organise an environmental activity or event
Promote your activity or event
List your activity or event to get more participants or attendees
Download a customisable Big Bromley Brush Up poster to promote your activity or event on a community notice board, on your social media platforms, on your website, and in your newsletter.
Download your customisable Big Bromley Brush Up poster (PDF - 432.2 KB)
Send us feedback of your activity or event
We’d love to hear what you have done to make your neighbourhood cleaner, greener and safer to inspire others. Please send any feedback and photos to bromleybrushup@bromley.gov.uk.