Local Business Community To Come Together For Large Scale Litter Pick That Will Help Keep Doncaster Tidy

Convened by the local Chamber of Commerce — in partnership with City of Doncaster Council — this corporate volunteering day will take place on the 2nd of April and will be the first of two such events planned for the year. Relevant equipment will be supplied to the participating firms, who will all be banding together to help improve the appearance of our urban core by making it cleaner, smarter and more presentable.

The idea for the litter-pick first originated in the Chamber’s forward-looking vision for the future, Doncaster ’35: A Manifesto for a Winning City. Informed by extensive consultation with both the private and voluntary sectors, this ambitious document anticipates what the next ten years have in store for Doncaster and outlines the practical steps that must be taken to put it on the best possible trajectory. Among other things, the manifesto describes big aspirations for improving the city’s transport connectivity, strengthening its strategic partnerships and helping to ensure that its businesses have access to the brightest talent.  

There was also a dedicated section focussed on the need to rejuvenate Doncaster’s city centre, with the ultimate goal of transforming it into a space that is thriving and attractive. When it comes to the latter point specifically, the Manifesto did call upon public sector partners to lead a high-profile push here that would address the various hygiene factors that have been holding the city centre back for years, with businesses stressing the need for it to feel clean and safe.

However, the manifesto also made a commitment — on behalf of the Chamber and the business community it represents — to get involved as well. And, so, the idea of an en masse corporate volunteering day (now titled Keeping Doncaster Tidy) was devised.

Speaking about this and encouraging businesses to take part, Dan Fell, Chief Exec of Doncaster Chamber, said: “Our manifesto raised a number of issues relating to our city centre, from a perceived lack of vibrancy to the unfortunate impact of changes in the retail sector and persistent anti-social behaviour. While these problems are by no means specific to Doncaster, they are visceral challenges nonetheless. Recent progress, whether that’s been through increased investment in security measures, getting work underway for the waterfront development, or breaking ground for the Gateway One digital hub, has been welcomed but, nonetheless, this does not yet seem to have shifted the dial when it comes to perceptions of our city centre.

“We have all got skin in the game here and so, rather than just constructively challenge our strategic partners — like the Councill and SY Police — about the need to improve our city centre, we are keen for the business community to do its bit as well. If we want Doncaster to thrive and attract more inward investment, then we need to make sure that it looks presentable and this litter pick is a great way for firms to signal that they want to be part of the solution and that they are invested in the future success of our city centre.

“It’s an opportunity to help improve community spaces for the benefit of everybody who lives and works here in Doncaster, to network with likeminded professionals, and to demonstrate those fantastic corporate social responsibility values that we know our business community takes very seriously. With that said, I’d like to urge all businesspeople who really care about our city centre to please join the Chamber and its members on the 2nd of April. Together, we can make a real difference.”

Businesses can sign-up to take part in the Keeping Doncaster Tidy litter pick here. Meanwhile, to read the other asks and commitments outlined in Doncaster ’35: A Manifesto for a Winning City, click here.