Big Tidy Up: Residents’ join together for city-wide clean up
Big Tidy Up volunteers at Heritage Park Primary School (front) Taylor Dent (5) and (back from left) Jordan Butters, Naomi Jones, Chris York, Dave Dent and Chris Harper. (METP-29-05-10BD300) Picture: Ben Davis
LIKE sheriffs in the Wild West, hundreds of volunteers were cleaning up the streets in a massive effort across Peterborough.
Instead of pistols, volunteers across Peterborough were armed with litter pickers and bin bags for the week-long Big Tidy Up event.
Not one empty can or discarded crisp packet escaped attention, as the volunteers who took part in the Big Tidy Up left no stone unturned in their quest for city cleanliness.
The event took place last week, ending on Saturday.
It was Peterborough’s first ever Big Tidy Up and was organised by Peterborough’s Council for Voluntary Service (PCVS).
They issued an appeal for participants several weeks ago and were swamped with volunteers eager to take part in making their neighbourhoods cleaner places to live.
Schools, community groups and local city councillors were among those who took to the streets.
All residents who took part were asked to commit two hours to litter picking in their area during the series of planned clean-ups, held between May 24 and 30.
Groups in Stanground, Newark, Werrington and Orton Brimbles were among those running tidy up events and everyone from children to staff from local businesses volunteered their time.
According to PCVS, city businesses including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Wilkinsons, the Co-op and RSA insurance firm have shown an interest in running their own events in future spring clean events.
Big Tidy Up was also supported by 30 young people employed through Peterborough’s Future Jobs Fund.
Deputy Mayor and Dogsthorpe councillor Bella Saltmarsh took part in a litter pick in her ward. She said it was heartening to see the community turn out.
Cllr Saltmarsh said: “This was what it was all about really, people taking the time out to make a difference to the place where they live.
“We tidied up around the Central Avenue shops and the local churches.
“We found a lot of empty beer cans and other rubbish behind those, which we cleaned away.”
Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Keith Sharp, was not so lucky with the weather as he and 11 residents took part in their litter pick on Saturday.
Cllr Sharp said: “It was pretty wet but we managed to pick a lot of rubbish up.
“Taking part in the event helps give people a real sense of community and you can really make a big impact in just a short space of time.”
And he said he hoped that the Big Tidy Up would become an annual event, following the success of the first one.
He added: “I was talking to the organisers and they have been really pleased with the take up of the event.
“It would be great if it could become a regular thing.”
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Friday 03 September 2010
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