It all started with a simple yet ambitious goal: to pick up one metric tonne of rubbish. Harry, a Scout from Arborfield, was inspired by a COP26 assembly and a YouTuber he admired, and thus, the journey towards environmental change began.
“At school, we had an assembly on COP26, and it really showed me the impact of climate change and our carbon footprint, so I wanted to make a difference,” Harry shared.
While he had already made significant strides in keeping the local area of Winnersh tidy, he believed there was still more to be done.
Over the last three years, this initial idea blossomed into a much larger project. He joined forces with several Scout groups across the District, including 1st Winnersh, 1st Arborfield, and 1st Wokingham, and went litter picking with them. Each session added not only to the growing weight of collected litter but also fostered a sense of responsibility and dedication to the environment in others.
Harry’s group presents the medals at the Wokingham Half Marathon, so in the lead-up to the event, Harry and a few others litter-picked large areas of the route. Another turning point came when a local business, Explore Learning, got involved.
Harry successfully persuaded them to join the mission by organising litter picks around their premises, extending the reach of the clean-up efforts. It wasn’t just about picking up litter anymore – it was about engaging others and building a community that cared for the environment.
The next phase of the journey came with a deeper understanding of how litter impacts wildlife. A visit to a service station revealed a shocking statistic: three million animals die each year due to litter.
Being a Hedgehog Champion, this fact hit particularly close to home for Harry. Not content with merely cleaning up the streets, he took it upon himself to educate others, especially the young people he met during his various activities. Spreading the message about the dangers of litter became an integral part of his work, especially during one of his summer cycling trips, during which he used the opportunity to raise awareness about the issue.
His commitment to recycling also brought about changes within his Arborfield group. Faced with the task of disposing of old group equipment, including a dining shelter, the question arose: how could it be repurposed? The answer was both creative and sustainable. The shelter’s fabric was turned into reusable canvas bags, while the metal poles were sold to a local scrap merchant, raising funds for the group and ensuring that nothing went to waste.
This story of environmental stewardship culminated in Harry being awarded a BBC Radio Berkshire Make a Difference Award (Green Award) at a special ceremony at Reading Town Hall in early September. The celebratory occasion was presented by BBC Radio Berkshire presenter Kirsten O’Brien, and was also attended by local celebrity Debbie McGee (pictured with Harry below left).
Reading FC legend Ady Williams presented Harry with his prestigious award, recognition of three years of dedicated work, not just in picking up rubbish, but in inspiring others, repurposing waste, and protecting wildlife. What started as a simple goal has grown into a lifelong commitment to making the world a cleaner, greener place.
Harry explained that the other people nominated in his category were all outstanding, and that everyone in that category deserved to win. He found it truly inspiring to see what brilliant things other people are doing.
“I am really proud to be in the company of such awesome people. We had a really lovely time,” he told us.
Check out some of the initiatives in the local area:
CROW -Plastic Free Crowthorne
Ali’s Recycling for the Local Community
North Hampshire Repair Cafe
Harry believes that “with determination, collaboration, and creativity, small actions can lead to bigger changes.” In fact, this term, Arborfield Scouts will be working with a repair café to build some animal habitats. Let’s hope some of the houses are hedgehog houses!
We’ll be keeping a close eye on Harry’s next challenges, and look forward to featuring more of them across county channels. Well done Harry!
