Mansfield District Council has unveiled its entry into the Nottinghamshire Tour of Britain 2018 Land Art competition.

Making an appearance this year when the race comes to Mansfield on Saturday, 8 September will be a recycling-inspired tribute to the Tour of Britain (TOB), using wheelie bins to create a giant cycle and rider.

The installation, which will sit in a rectangle on the cricket pitch at Chesterfield Road Park, was thought up by council waste supervisor Pete Healy.

The land art competition aimed to encourage communities to decorate their neighbourhoods with installations that could be seen by aerial television cameras who will be broadcasting the race live to a global audience of millions.

Cllr Dave Saunders, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, said: “Last year Newark had its famous sheep rustling land art which really got people talking. We want to do something that will get the cameras rolling and the focus on Mansfield, but also tie it into a big corporate message.”

The TOB event management team set a challenge to all council staff asking them to put forward cost-effective land art ideas. Pete put his thinking cap on and after considering a few ideas, he decided on a TOB logo made of recycling bins.

“Recycling is a big issue for us at Mansfield District Council,” he said. “I want to raise awareness of blue and brown bin schemes along with a big TOB welcome that will be seen from the sky!”

The project will use 57 blue household recycling bins and 25 brown garden waste bins to create a ‘Re-Cycle for Mansfield’ emblem that can be seen on 8 September through live footage of the Tour of Britain.

The council is urging residents to make use of the brown bin scheme, recycle garden waste and be blue bin smart. There are some simple steps to help waste go to the right place:

•Make sure waste in your blue bin is loose – don’t use carrier bags.
•Any plastic that is not a bottle, margarine tub or yoghurt pot should go in your green bin.
•If in doubt, leave it out of your blue bin.

With just 12 days left to go until the big event, businesses and residents still have time to enter the Mansfield TOB best-dressed competition, entries can be made on the council’s social media feeds until 29 August.

Hang up some bunting and get creative with cycling-themed window displays, hedge sculptures or decorations for gates and fences.

Submit your entry on Facebook to MyMansfieldUK – the council’s official page or on Twitter @MDC_News using #NottsTOB #Mansfield in the text. The winning entry will receive VIP hospitality packages to the stage seven final here in Mansfield.

Find out more about the Tour of Britain route and how to get involved at www.mansfield.gov.uk/tob