Sandwell Council and its waste partner Serco are getting ready to kick off this year’s Spring Clean campaign and have raised the bar for 2013.

They have set the target of organising at least 100 Big Spring Cleans – more than in any of the previous six years since it was launched.

The Big Spring Clean is a multi-award winning campaign which recruits volunteers to help improve the look of the borough.

Over the past six years, the campaign has seen hundreds of parts of the borough benefit from litter picking, painting and graffiti removal thanks to the help of more than 20,000 volunteers.

This year the campaign will focus on litter picking, graffiti removal, planting, supporting local wildlife and painting.

Councillor Ian Jones, Sandwell’s cabinet member for safer neighbourhoods, has urged people to get involved and help make their neighbourhoods, local parts and town centres sparkle.

“It’s great to see the Big Spring Clean back again because it gives our residents the chance to show their pride in the borough,” he said.

“It’ll be a real challenge to reach the target of 100 events so that’s why we need to hear from you. Help us hit our Big Spring Clean century by getting in touch and helping make a difference.”

Jason Holtom, Serco’s partnership director, added: “We’re geared up to support anyone that wants to get involved in whatever way we can. Every year it impresses me how many people come forward in Sandwell to do something positive for their local area.

“The Big Spring Clean brings people together and gets people talking. It has a real community spirit and is a credit to everyone that gets involved.”

This year’s campaign officially starts on May 13. Residents, community groups and businesses have can get in touch with Serco to organise an event.

Big Spring Cleans can be booked online at sandwell.gov.uk/bigspringclean