Lozells is an inner city area with living, trading and recreational spaces blighted by litter, fly tipping, graffiti and flyposting, and overrun with vermin. The Lozells Community Clean-up emerged from an environmental gathering of Black Majority Churches, who were concerned about their area. The churches invited representatives from Birmingham City Council (BCC), Groundwork, Lozells and Birchfield Trading Associations and other community organisations, to joint meetings to plan and deliver the event. From the initial discussion it became apparent that common goals existed and participants pledged in various ways to support the clean-up.

From within the planning group, a small team was formed to assist, plan, market and deliver the event. A meeting place central to the sites was chosen to which litter pickers, refuse bags, clean-up kits and other items were delivered prior to the clean-up. On the day of the event, volunteers were given a safety briefing, assigned to a team leader, then issued with protective aprons, gloves, tools, etc. The teams then dispersed and carried out the planned work for each site over a period of approximately 90 minutes. Whilst at separate sites, walkie talkies were used to maintain communication between the team leaders.