Keep Wales Tidy Impact Report

A message from Owen

This Impact Report is, above all else, a celebration.

A celebration of what people across Wales can achieve when they come together with a shared purpose: to care for the places we love, protect our environment, and build stronger, healthier communities.

It also arrives at a moment of real significance. Following the election of a new Welsh Government on 7 May, the next government inherited both a significant challenge and an enormous opportunity. There is a renewed opportunity to place the environment, the quality of our local places and pride in our communities firmly at the heart of national decision‑making.

The challenge ahead

We already know these issues matter deeply to people across Wales. Clean streets, welcoming parks, thriving nature and well‑cared‑for coastlines are not abstract ideals – they are everyday concerns that shape how we feel about where we live, work and raise our families. They affect our health, our wellbeing and our sense of belonging.

The challenge ahead is clear. Too many streets, rivers, parks and beaches are still affected by litter, waste and declining environmental quality. Years of pressure on public services have made it harder for councils and communities to keep pace, despite their dedication and determination. Litter and waste remain persistent, visible problems, and we must continue to confront them honestly.

But alongside that challenge sits an enormous opportunity. Wales has the public support, the policy direction and, crucially, the community spirit needed to turn the tide. With the right co-ordination, investment and collective effort, we can reduce waste, change behaviour and move towards a truly circular economy.

Over the past year, we have seen what is possible when that effort comes together.

Communities in action

Across Wales, we have brought together thousands of volunteers who have given their time and energy to eradicate litter and waste, rolling up their sleeves to clean streets, beaches, paths and green spaces. Their practical action, often taken quietly and without fanfare, is the backbone of cleaner, more welcoming communities.

At the same time, we have continued to empower young people to care for their environment. Through our Eco‑Schools programme, pupils across Wales have been inspired to take meaningful action, championing activities such as reducing waste and protecting nature, helping Wales maintain its position as a global leader in environmental education and nurturing the next generation of environmental champions.

We have worked closely with councils and partners to set standards for environmental excellence, with parks and beaches across Wales once again meeting and exceeding international benchmarks. These standards matter: they show what good looks like, they raise ambition, and they demonstrate the value of long‑term investment in our shared spaces.

And through programmes like Local Places for Nature, communities have created and restored hundreds of green spaces such as community gardens, wildflower areas and habitats that bring nature closer to people’s doorsteps. These spaces don’t just support biodiversity; they strengthen community connections and improve wellbeing.

Shared responsibility

But while all of these activities have shown, year after year, the power of simple, positive action volunteers and councils alone cannot solve a systemic problem. Litter and waste are symptoms of wider issues around how we produce, consume and dispose of product, and those systems must change.

That is why the year ahead matters so much. With major reforms on the horizon, including a Deposit Return Scheme and new producer responsibility measures, Wales has a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to prevent litter at its source and reshape how resources are valued and reused. Policy will be essential, but it will only succeed if it is matched by coordinated national action, strong partnerships and sustained commitment.

At Keep Wales Tidy, we are calling for exactly that: a shared national mission to restore pride in our public spaces, support communities, and create cleaner, greener places for everyone. This Impact Report shows not only what is already being achieved but sheds a light on what more is possible.

None of this would be possible without the support of our funders and partners. We are deeply grateful to Welsh Government, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Moondance Foundation, McDonalds, Keep Britain Tidy, WCVA, and the many local authorities and organisations that stand behind our work.Diolch o galon.

If you or your organisation would like to be part of this journey, we would love to hear from you.

Owen Derbyshire CEO, Keep Wales Tidy