Battle wrap! Beatbox bins help fight street litter

22 hours ago

Catherine EvansSouth East

News image — Residents in Luton Road, Chatham, have complained about problems with litter

BBC A close-up of a green bin with two yellow eyes on the top and a set of headphones. The opening of the bin is designed to look like a mouth, with a nose drawn above it. — Residents in Luton Road, Chatham, have complained about problems with litter

A world champion beatboxer and primary school pupils have joined forces to share an anti-litter message through a street's bins.

The three interactive bins in Luton Road in Chatham, Kent, play one of 40 different beats every time someone gets rid of their rubbish responsibly.

They feature sounds and messages from Beat Collective founder Rupert Oldridge and students from Luton Primary School and Phoenix Primary School.

The bins will stay on the street for two months as part of a wider health campaign by Medway Council, focusing on mental, physical and environmental health.

The aim is to reduce the area's litter problem after complaints from residents.

THE BEATBOX COLLECTIVE A group of five young men, dressed casually in hoodies, jeans, t-shirts, caps and trainers, sit together on a sofa, pointing their fingers in the air in celebration. On the end to the right is Rupert Oldridge, who recorded the sounds for the beatbox bins — Rupert Oldridge (right) is the founder of The Beatbox Collective and is a world champion beatboxer

Councillor Simon Curry, the council's portfolio holder for climate change and strategic regeneration, said: "A lot of people complain about it a lot of the time and they should do because it's a real problem."

The bins, designed by artist and sound designer Thor McIntyre-Burnie, were "fantastic" and had potential to "do a lot of good", Curry added.

Wayne Parsons, of Ideas Test – a creative agency that helped the Heard Project and council to develop the bins – said: "We recorded some messages about litter from young people, as well as some beatboxing from those young people and they became part of a sound installation that was installed into bins along Luton Road.

"So, when you put something in the bin, you get a little message of thank you for using the bin and for not littering from the young people in the primary schools."

The project also sees litter-picking groups take to the streets and impromptu beatboxing lessons for passers-by.

A QR code on the bins link to all the recorded messages from the children.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.