‘Adopt a Spot’ and help care for a neglected area of Northern Ireland

Adopt a Spot allows volunteers across Northern Ireland to apply to adopt and care for an area that has been neglected.

Families, community groups, youth groups, schools and sporting associations are encouraged to help foster a healthier, greener and cleaner Northern Ireland by applying to Adopt a Spot.

The initiative aims to accomplish cleaner streets, less dog fouling, more biodiversity and better use of unused spaces. Four types of kits are available – Litter picking, Food for Thought, Rewilding Small Spaces, and Coastal Health.

The scheme recently marked a milestone as its 500th Adopt a Spot kit was collected by activity co-ordinator, Kimberly McAulay from Caring Breaks.

It provided the charity, which provides short respite breaks for family carers combined with social and recreational activities for their adult relative with a learning disability, with litter picking resources, enabling them to continue looking after the area that they have ‘adopted’ in Lagan Valley Regional Park.

Kimberly said: “As a charity that provides respite breaks for family carers, our focus is very much on fostering a sense of good health and wellbeing. The Adopt a Spot scheme allows us to help improve the wellbeing of the families that we support by connecting them with the environment. Of course, litter picking ultimately benefits the whole community.”

Upon successful application, Live Here Love Here will provide a free adoption pack. Litter picking Kits contain litter pickers, high visibility vests, gloves, litter bags, a First Aid Kit, a sharps box and a hints and tips booklet. Food for Thought kits are a starter kit for growing food, the Rewilding kit provides new habitats for small spaces and the Costal Health kit contains items to collect and monitor litter along the coastline.

Helen Tomb, manager at Live Here Love Here said: “Reaching this (500 kit) milestone demonstrates just how well the scheme has been embraced by environmental heroes across Northern Ireland. The next 500 kits are available thanks to funding from Department, Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and are available to request from the Live Here Love Here app.”

To apply to Adopt a Spot, visit www.liveherelovehere.org/AdoptASpot and download the Live Here Love Here app. Register your profile and Request to ‘Adopt A Spot’.