Bournemouth, Charity | Posted on May 15th, 2026 | return to news

Bournemouth has a big clean-up

Ahead of the summer season, the annual Big Bournemouth Clean-Up, which took place on 13 May, involved many town businesses.

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Businesses in Bournemouth have been taking part in the seventh annual Big Bournemouth Clean-Up. In two hours, volunteers collected 53 bags of rubbish.

Organised by Bournemouth Town Centre BID, businesses taking part included Bh2, Palace Court Theatre, Lester Aldridge, Stephens Scown, Lush, Barbara’s Bier Haus, Grosvenor Casino, BCP Council, Bournemouth University, Bobby’s and Turtle Bay. Bournemouth Town Centre BID Rangers and staff led the teams.

Volunteers worked across key areas including Old Christchurch Road, The Square, Commercial Road, The Triangle and surrounding streets on Wednesday 13 May, armed with litter pickers and bin bags.

The activity was met with a positive response from members of the public, with several people stopping to thank volunteers and BID Rangers for their efforts. One passing driver even stopped their car to personally express appreciation for the work being carried out.

The clean-up began with breakfast hosted by Turtle Bay on Old Christchurch Road, giving volunteers the chance to gather before heading out across the town. Lush also thanked participants with complimentary bath bombs.

Rachel Woodward Carrick, director of Bournemouth Town Centre BID, said: “The Big Bournemouth Clean-Up is a brilliant example of what can happen when local businesses come together for the good of the town. Bournemouth is a place we all care deeply about, and these small actions collectively make a real difference to how the town centre looks and feels, particularly as we head into the busy summer season.”

Alongside improving the environment, the event also gives businesses the opportunity to connect informally while supporting a shared goal of keeping Bournemouth welcoming for residents, visitors and businesses alike.

The clean-up forms part of Bournemouth Town Centre BID’s wider ‘Welcoming’ programme, which includes town centre rapid-response cleaning support, graffiti removal, hanging flower baskets and other initiatives designed to enhance the look and feel of the area on behalf of the town centre businesses.