A NORTH-EAST woman has launched a campaign to encourage campervans to clean up where they go.

Abbie Silivistris, of Marske-by-the-Sea, is determined to give campervans a good name through her Motorhomes and Campervans Against Litter group, where members are encouraged to leave spots they visit cleaner than when they arrived.

The 30-year-old midwife had the idea during the pandemic when she saw motorhomes being blamed for litter amid the rise in staycations.

Ms Silivistris, who has had her van for six years and uses it to travel the UK, said: “Campers were getting the blame for litter but I know by the time I leave the area, it is tidier than how we found it. It was giving us a bad reputation. I want to show that we are helping, that we are not part of the problem but part of the solution.

“We need to challenge the public’s perception of campers. When people see me litter picking, they would think I’m a resident or dog walker.”

Darlington and Stockton Times: Abbie Silivistris' dog sits near a bag of picked litter in the countryside

Ms Silivistris says staying in car parks instead of campsites means she can better experience the town or village she is visiting, and give back to the local economy.

She added: “Chatting to one resident, she was surprised I was helping to keep her home clean.

“But we are travelling around because we enjoy nature spots, so we want to protect them.

“My dream is that we can visit beautiful places and be welcomed because they know we will leave their home more beautiful than when we arrived.

“I want people to say, it’s so good a motorhome has parked up here.”

The Motorhomes and Campervans Against Litter Facebook group has snowballed, gaining thousands of members from across the UK as well as Ireland, Australia, America, Belgium and Germany.

Anyone planning to go on the road can buy bumper stickers and t-shirts showing the group’s logo, which features two litter pickers, to let locals know they will clean up.

Ms Silivistris said: “People have started travelling again and they are determined to show we are here to help.”

Darlington and Stockton Times: Abbie Silivistris, 30, of Marske-by-the-Sea, determined to give campers a good name

Members have praised the group, which has allowed them to find like-minded people who pick at home, on the beach, in a lay-by and at campsites.

It comes as some campervan rental companies have launched a pledge encouraging holidaymakers to ‘leave only footprints’ where they visit, to clean up after themselves and be mindful of noise levels.

Ms Silivistris also encourages members to stick by the Countryside Code, which urges people to say hello to others and bag and bin their dog’s poo, and is hoping to expand the group to create a directory of resources for better travel.