Blackrow are proud to have been commissioned to design, manufacture and install the third recycling sculpture on Cleethorpes promenade. North East Lincolnshire Council commissioned the project as part of an ongoing initiative to tackle litter locally.

The Bucket and Spade join Hammy the Haddock and the Globe in a bid to encourage the recycling of plastic bottles and bring attention to the problems of littering and its impact on the ecosystem.

Litter poses several problems locally

With thousands of people heading to the Cleethorpes promenade every year, litter can pose a huge problem. Not only is it unsightly and making a mess of this beautiful resort, but it also presents a real threat to the wildlife in the area.

The Humberside Estuary plays a huge role in one of the largest mass migrations of birds on the planet, and litter is not only a threat to the environment here but also a serious danger to wildlife.

See the Bucket and Spade on King’s Parade

The new Bucket and Spade sculpture is a giant 2.2-meter high stainless steel recycling receptacle and can be found on King’s Parade near the Kingsway Kiosk.

The sculpture was designed by Blackrow Director Glenn Ritchie before it was manufactured by one of our team of skilled tradesmen. Overall the build took 100 hours to complete.

The process

Director Gary Pexman explained “once the design was agreed, it was broken down into profiles and fabrication drawings and issued to our laser cutting department to be nested and cut on our Laser Machine. All the high-grade stainless steel profiles were then de-burred and the manufacturing process began.”

Next, the base and skeleton of the bucket and spade were assembled before they were welded together using a Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) process. It was then blasted using a ceramic bead which cleaned the welds giving the steel a uniform finish prior to the next steps.

Traditional sheet fabrication techniques were then used to form the handle and spade, and they were welded onto the frame. Once the sculpture was completed it went on to Lincs Industrial Painters who completed lacquering. This protects the bucket and spade from the harsh weather conditions that we often experience on Cleethorpes seafront and ensures that it will be around for years to come.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s recycling initiative

The sculpture is the third in 12 months to be installed in Cleethorpes as part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s recycling initiative.

Councillor Callum Procter, portfolio holder for Economic Growth, Housing and Tourism commented:

“The fantastic new bucket and spade completes the trio of recycling sculptures in our wonderful resort. Along with the Globe and Hammy the Haddock, the Bucket and Spade is a great asset to Cleethorpes and has a useful purpose in promoting recycling and giving people a new landmark where they can put their plastic bottles.

I’d like to thank Blackrow Engineering and all the sponsors for their contributions. It’s crucial that we all play our part in keeping the resort litter free.”

The council would like to remind everyone that the sculptures should be used for plastic bottles only and that there are 60 litter bins to be used for other waste across the resort.

Thank you to the sponsors

In addition to being commissioned by the local council and designed, manufactured and installed by Blackrow the sculpture was sponsored by local businesses including:

  • ENGIE
  • CR Reynolds
  • Grimsby Carpet Warehouse (GCW)
  • Dalkia Waste Energy
  • XceCo
  • GLID
  • Philips 66
  • PPS Midlands
  • Hilton Seafoods
  • G-TECH Electrical Contractors
  • Lincs Industrial Painters
  • EBB & FLO