Mark your calendars: the Countryside Alliance’s annual Countryside Clean-up is returning for 2026, running from Friday 20 March to Monday 6 April. Every year, litter scars our countryside, threatens wildlife, harms livestock and blights rural communities.

Once again, the Countryside Alliance is calling on rural communities to roll up their sleeves, pull on their boots and get out there.

As in previous years, members of the hunting community - alongside friends, families, supporters and neighbours - will take practical action to enhance their local landscapes. While clearing roadside verges, ditches, hedgerows and gateways, volunteers will be out in force making a visible difference where it matters most.

Every pair of hands counts and the Alliance encourages everyone who can spare a few hours to take part, whether by organising a clean-up around hunt kennels or focusing on areas where discarded waste threatens wildlife, livestock and the beauty of our countryside.

Polly Portwin, Director of the Campaign for Hunting at the Countryside Alliance, said:

“The Countryside Clean-up is a powerful demonstration of what local communities can achieve when they work together. Just a couple of hours can have a lasting impact. We encourage anyone organising an event to liaise with their parish council, spread the word through local noticeboards and community social media pages, inviting as many people as possible to get involved. The more hands we have, the greater the difference we can make.”

Last year, hunt officials, hunt staff, farmers, landowners, subscribers and supporters from across the UK turned out in challenging conditions to clear significant quantities of rubbish from footpaths, riverbanks, farmland and rural roadsides.

The results spoke for themselves and the usual suspects were out in force, with coffee cups from high street chains, plastic bottles, carrier bags, crisp packets and fast-food packaging being most frequently collected - stark reminders of the everyday waste that too often finds its way into hedgerows and fields.

Fly-tipping and littering remain among the most pressing rural crime concerns, frequently cited by countryside residents as issues affecting their communities. The Alliance has long campaigned against this scourge and the annual Countryside Clean-up is one way we put that commitment into action.

If you are planning to organise a clean-up in your area, please let the Countryside Alliance know via social media or by emailing hunting@countryside-alliance.org. Together, we can ensure that the 2026 Countryside Clean-up is the most successful yet.