The Litter Free Dorset Challenge is back this May and it's bigger than ever.

Litter Free Dorset has teamed up with the Preventing Plastic Pollution project to provide 250 budding Dorset litter heroes with litter picking equipment. In return for taking part in a litter picking challenge this May, participants will be able to keep hold of the equipment for future litter picks.

Residents can now sign up to take part in the Litter Free Dorset Challenge, with four different challenges to choose from:

• The 10-hour challenge - litter pick for 10 hours in one day
• The 10-times challenge - take part in 10 litter picks throughout May
• The 10-minute challenge - litter pick every day in May for 10 minutes
• The 'create your own' challenge - is there a particular challenge you have in mind

You could also consider doing a sponsored challenge and raise money for Litter Free Dorset. Once all 250 spaces for this year's challenge have been taken, sign-up will close. Participants will be able to choose a challenge and in return receive a litter picker, high vis vest and weighing scales. Participants can also join the Litter Free Dorset Challenge Facebook group. Sophie Colley, coordinator of Litter Free Dorset, said: "We're excited to be running the Litter Free Dorset Challenge again this year. One hundred and twenty brilliant volunteers took part in last year's challenge. In total they collected approximately one tonne of litter - the equivalent weight of a baby humpback whale. "With double the number of participant spaces available in this year's challenge, we're hoping we'll be able to double the amount of litter collected." Alongside helping keep your local area clean, you can also help provide litter data to the Preventing Plastic Pollution project to better inform solutions to tackle plastic pollution long term. Amanda Arnold, Preventing Plastic Pollution researcher, said: "We are really pleased to be supporting the Litter Free Dorset Challenge again in 2022. "The more information gathered by volunteers on the types and quantities of litter in our environment, the better our ability to identify where it is coming from and the more likely we can create lasting solutions to stem the flow of plastics entering our rivers and seas." Mother and son, Sonja and Marley, participated in last year's Litter Free Dorset Challenge. Sonja said: "Myself and Marley took part in the Litter Free Dorset Challenge last year. Markey, who is seven-years-old, took up litter picking during the pandemic and loved taking part in this challenge. He did 10 litter picks throughout June and collected a lot of rubbish. He had fun being part of a collective challenge and enjoyed keeping track of how much it all weighed." To find out more and sign up, visit dorsetcoasthaveyoursay.co.uk Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter below! You can submit your own news straight to Bridport Nub News by using the 'Nub It' button on our home page. This can also be done for events on our What's On page and businesses, groups and organisations on our Local Listings page , also by using the 'Nub It' button. Please like and follow our online newspaper on your favourite social media channel. You can find us @BridportNubNews on Facebook and Twitter.