DS Smith joins Swale Borough Council to support Keep Britain Tidy’s Spring Clean campaign

Employees from DS Smith’s Kemsley Mill in Sittingbourne recently joined Swale Borough Council Park Rangers to clear litter and waste from parkland around the Kemsley site.

The clean-up, which was initiated by the Kemsley Charity and Communities Committee on the 4^th April, saw a total of 20 volunteers come together to clean the site as part of Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean, which runs from 22^nd March to 23^rd April.

Graham Appleby, Kemsley Mill’s Site Facilities Manager, commented:

We’ve been running litter recovery campaigns in partnership with the council for the past four years. It’s really great to see that the area is steadily becoming less litter prone and it only takes the team a short time to make a big difference to the litter problem.

“By organising regular initiatives like this, we hope to encourage others to respect the public green spaces in our local area.”

One regular clean-up participant and local resident added: “Kemsley Mill has a solid reputation for helping to improve the local community. During the clean-up, passers-by stopped to ask us where we work and it’s a great feeling to be proud of what we’re doing and where we live.”

As one of the area’s largest employers, DS Smith supports a number of local and charitable initiatives. Last Christmas, the company’s Paper division donated a quarter-tonne of food to Sittingbourne foodbank to support families during periods of financial difficulty, such as redundancy, benefit delays or unexpected bills.

“We’re always looking for ways to give back to the local community, while also highlighting the importance of recycling and the responsible use of resources,” Graham explained.