Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has reaffirmed its commitment to creating healthier, smokefree hospitals by hosting a ‘Bin the Butt’ litter pick event at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital ahead of World No Tobacco Day.
The event was organised in partnership with The Land Trust, a national charity that manages green spaces for community benefit, promoting wellbeing, biodiversity and environmental education. Staff from across Hampshire Hospitals, Hampshire County Council, Smokefree Hampshire, and members of the local community came together to collect and dispose of cigarette litter across the hospital site. with Hampshire Hospitals’ Chief Executive, Alex Whitfield and Chief Strategy and Population Health Officer, Shirlene Oh, and Councillor Simon Bound from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council among those supporting the initiative.
Brimstones, who represented The Land Trust on the day, spoke about the significance of protecting The Spinney woodland, which borders the hospital:
“The Spinney is a beautiful belt of old woodland which surrounds the hospital and nearby housing. It's a great space for people to enjoy a smokefree break by taking a walk in nature or a short rest among the beech trees. This woodland is for people and wildlife to enjoy, and keeping it free of litter, including cigarette butts and packets, is very important to us. We were delighted to attend the Bin the Butt event on behalf of The Land Trust and look forward to developing our partnership with Hampshire Hospitals to engage even more of the hospital community with this fantastic green space.”
Hundreds of cigarette butts were gathered from outside hospital entrances, car parks and The Spinney, reinforcing the Trust’s focus on tackling the environmental and health impacts of smoking. The litter pick also served as a timely reminder of the harmful environmental impact of smoking, ahead of World No Tobacco Day - a global awareness day led by the World Health Organization to highlight the dangers of tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce consumption.
The event comes as part of Hampshire Hospitals’ wider work to prevent smoking across its hospitals and empower staff, patients and visitors to make healthier, smokefree choices.
This is the second ‘Bin the Butt’ event led by Hampshire Hospitals and builds on the smokefree partnership with Hampshire County Council announced in November 2024. The partnership aims to deliver better coordination between hospital services and local public health initiatives, offering a joined-up approach to smoking cessation support and education.
Clare Rowe Jones, Smokefree Lead at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, commented:
“Bin the Butt is about more than litter picking - it’s about creating a visible, positive shift in how we think about smoking in and around our hospital sites. Every cigarette butt picked up is a reminder of why this work matters: to protect health, to respect our environment and to support our staff, patients and communities to live smokefree. We’re proud to work with partners who share this vision, and we’re determined to keep the momentum going. Whether it’s through access to support, smokefree signage, or events like this, we are embedding a culture that champions wellbeing and helps people make lasting changes.”
