VOLUNTEER litter pickers are urging members of the public to join them to help protect the wildlife in the Three Towns.

Ayrshire Litter Volunteer Network (ALVN) is organising a litter pick next week in Stevenston.

Jean Frew, member of ALVN and chairperson of Stevenston Nature Reserve Steering Group, said: “I think one of the major issues is that we’ve got three schools in the area and the kids go out at lunch time and drop litter.”

The volunteers work closely with North Ayrshire Council’s Streetscene Environmental Enforcement Team striving to educate young people on the impact of littering and single-use plastic.

Jean said: “We’re trying to get everybody to understand that litter’s a big problem and it’s a big problem for nature.

“Stevenston, in particular, has got more greenspaces. Auchenharvie’s got woods all about it and there’s a lot of wildlife that needs to be protected.

“It’s all about trying to raise the issue for the kids to go out at lunch time and not drop litter.”

Jodie Dickinson, member of ALVN, added: “I was out walking my dogs and I was shocked by the amount of rubbish. It’s just awful and it doesn’t look nice. The wildlife are having to live with it and it looks unsightly.

“There’s quite a few of us doing it [the litter pick] but it would be good if there were more people involved.”

The litter pick meets at 12pm on Tuesday, April 24 at the football pitch beside Auchenharvie Academy.