Latest news with #communitycleanup
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers and supermarket staff clean up community in South Lanarkshire
Volunteers and staff from a giant supermarket chain teamed up to clean up their community in South Lanarkshire. Colleagues from Asda Blantyre and Asda Hamilton joined forces with the Hamilton and Blantyre Litter Pickers for a July litter pick near the David Livingstone Birthplace museum. The clean-up was part of a wider month-long campaign by Asda stores across the UK to support grassroots groups and encourage community action. (Image: Supplied) Alison Howley of the Hamilton and Blantyre Litter Pickers said: "I was delighted I could come and help with the Asda Litter Pick. "It was a great opportunity, and I think it's really important to give back to our community and make a difference. Read more: Brave mum speaks out after vile racist abuses her in front of son at city bus stop 'As a mum of a young child, I like her seeing that her mum cares about where we live and educating her on the importance of putting litter in the bin to help our environment.' Volunteers collected nine bags of rubbish on the grounds near the River Clyde, as well as a set of drawers. Mary Sutherland, community champion at Asda Blantyre, said: "Gillian, the community champion at Asda Hamilton, and I teamed up with the Hamilton and Blantyre Litter Pickers for a clean-up at the David Livingstone Birthplace Museum, just a few days ahead of the big community fun day organised by the police, fire service, and the museum team. (Image: Supplied) "The museum grounds were really well maintained, so we focused on the surrounding areas. "In total, we collected nine bags of rubbish – including, unexpectedly, a set of drawers. "Gillian and I are so grateful to Alison and the volunteers at Hamilton and Blantyre Litter Pickers for all their help."
BBC News
05-08-2025
- General
- BBC News
Heckmondike campaigners call for an end to 'careful littering'
A campaign to highlight the impact of "careful littering" will be trialled in a West Yorkshire to Keep Britain Tidy, "careful littering" involves people leaving disposable cups, newspapers and other items placed on benches or walls, rather than throwing them on the charity has chosen to focus on the issue in Heckmondwike as part of its efforts to tackle the Lonsdale, a volunteer with Keep Hecky Tidy, said: "Getting rid of litter brings back a sense of pride, if there is litter everywhere it shows that people do not care but if we can make the town look better it attracts people here." Ms Lonsdale, 60, has been volunteering with the group for the past four years and regularly takes part in litter picks in the town."I think it is great that we are the catalyst for something that is going to go nationwide," she said."It absolutely frustrates me when there is litter, it is just pure laziness."Some of the things we have found you really do not want to know about."According to Keep Britain Tidy, one in four people in Heckmondwike admit to "careful littering".The organisation's work in the town will help to shape its litter reduction efforts across the UK, a spokesperson said. The campaign will see new signs placed across the town and litter picking events held in partnership with schools and businesses.A series of images showing living statues leaving coffee cups, sandwich wrappers and newspapers have also been commissioned by the organisation to highlight the issue."This is about the kind of littering that everybody will see but many do not even think of as littering, like a coffee cup placed on a step," said Helen Bingham, from Keep Britain Tidy."They are not mindlessly throwing but it is still littering, it makes a place look unloved and uncared for."It increases fear of crime and it impacts economic growth because people do not want to invest in somewhere that looks like no one cares."She said the organisation would monitor attitudes to the campaign in the town in order to "develop a blueprint and shift the dial on littering". Campaigners said education was key to tackling the Gautry, founder of Keep Hecky Tidy, said volunteers often saw cans "popped on top" of walls."They get blown off, it is really important people understand it is all littering, whether you are throwing it or leaving it somewhere", she said. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stockton City Council approves $154K purchase of police trucks for homeless encampment sweeps
The Stockton City Council has approved a $154,804 purchase of two heavy-duty pickup trucks that police will use during homeless encampment sweeps. The Stockton Police Department requested the two Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks as part of an emergency purchase order. The item appeared on Tuesday's consent agenda, meaning no presentation or extended discussion was required before the vote. The three-quarter-ton trucks are needed "to assist with the transportation of an arrestee's belongings and to aid community cleanups," according to agenda documents. The police department said it currently uses patrol vehicles with limited space that no longer meet the needs of day-to-day operations, such as transporting the property of unsheltered people and towing department equipment. Before the council's unanimous vote, Patricia Barrett, a homeless advocate who spent four years unhoused, urged the council to consider whether the money allocated for the trucks could be better spent on services for people experiencing homelessness. "We don't need those trucks chasing through the fields, chasing unhoused people," Barrett said. "That's not what they're for." Deputy City Manager Chad Reed said that the trucks would serve multiple purposes, including towing police trailers and navigating off-road terrain for field operations. "We're always looking to purchase vehicles that can be multifunctional," Reed said. "That's what these trucks do. We're required by law, when we're dealing with homeless, to take their belongings from one place to another." Although it was not outlined in a staff report to the council, Deputy Police Chief Kyle Pierce said the trucks would also be used for tasks such as retrieving abandoned shopping carts and returning them to stores, as well as towing abandoned boats. On July 22, Stockton police evicted unhoused people from a 14-year-old encampment near Trinity Parkway, displacing dozens — some of whom were unable to find shelter beds or housing. During the sweep, police deployed a mobile command unit and a SWAT vehicle with support from the California Highway Patrol and San Joaquin County Probation. City officials have not disclosed the total cost of the encampment sweep. However, city spokesperson Tony Mannor said the California State Lands Commission provided $100,000 for the cleanup. The state spent $86,000 on two previous cleanups at the same location. "They're not criminals. They're unfortunate human beings," said Barrett, who assisted those who were displaced. "We could use that money for services for unhoused people." Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@ or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton spends $154K on police trucks for homeless encampment sweeps Solve the daily Crossword
BBC News
14-07-2025
- BBC News
'Stigmatised' Swindon estate is anti-social behaviour hotspot
Police have said there is work going on to tackle crime in an area portrayed by some media as a "notorious estate".Penhill in Swindon has been described as "stigmatised" and has already been identified by police as an anti-social behaviour (ASB) Police have more foot patrols and mobile police station visits, as well as specialist services to target young people most at risk of committing crime or becoming a pastor David Childs-Clarke said: "People in Penhill often think of themselves as being considered less than other parts of Swindon." He wants to see the estate's reputation reversed: "One of the reasons people struggle in Penhill is because there's a reputation associated with being in one of the areas beginning with P."The pastor of Penhill Community Church believes that cleaning up and fixing things in the area would help to show it was loved. He is not the only one who feels like this. Christine, who struggles to walk, said "things don't get done", such as fixing pavements and cutting back hedges."I can't go out without someone being with me, in case I fall." One of the ways a clean-up might happen is in the form of a big cash injection - Penhill has been named by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as a deprived area which will get up to £20m to spend in the community over the next Labour MP Will Stone will be setting up community forums."I'm been told to get my skates and start working as quickly as possible."It has to be community-led." Meanwhile, Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson hopes residents will start to feel safer with more visible policing in Penhill.A Safer Streets Summer initiative has also just launched - not just in Swindon, but in Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham and Marlborough as well. It means additional patrols in known hotspot areas and increased enforcement of public space protection orders. Mr Wilkinson said: "Being safe and feeling safe are two different things, and I recognise those really valid feelings that some residents will have who live and work in those areas of Swindon."He added that they are working with others to "address the root causes of crime and gang culture". Yvonne is worried about safety: "My family don't want me going out in the dark."Her and her friend Doreen told the BBC they see a lot of police cars, but would like to see police on the Barrett, from the Penhill Chronic Pain Group, is a bit more said lots of people do like living there because of a good community the money, she said they could "help more people; the elderly, the people struggling with pain, young families are a big thing as well".Vicky Edwards is part of the same group: "For me, growing up in Penhill was always safe. There's not enough for the kids to do any more."
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
West Midlands residents in spotlight for cleaning up their area for free
Groups across the West Midlands are gaining attention for scrubbing, clearing and tidying up their local spaces. The litter busters, some of whom operate alone, have been cleaning up areas in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands to make a difference to their community - which in turn has gained thousands of views as they share their exploits online. Some of the groups taking to the streets say they are doing the jobs that councils should be doing, others work with the council and local litter groups, but tackle long neglected places like grubby street signs and children's parks. READ MORE: M6 trucker alert as more than one in five stopped from driving away in police crackdown We've taken a look at just some of the groups and individuals making a difference - all determined in their pursuit to clean up streets across the region. Alan Webb is dedicated to keeping Digbeth's streets clean. He initially began cleaning Digbeth's streets in 2023 after growing fed up with the litter outside his home and joined the 'Friends of Bradford Street' volunteer group. Now, every day Alan Webb dedicates an hour of his time to picking up strewn litter, sweeping away broken glass and scrubbing off graffitti tags in Birmingham's public spaces. "I go out pretty much everyday. Now, I do a litter pick for an hour at 7am everyday," he previously told BirminghamLive. Adding: "I've got many little fans now. People come up to me and shake my hand." Alan goes by the handle @x_brum on X, formerly Twitter, and gets thousands of views and reactions for sharing something so simple but pleasing - a bag full of rubbish, and tidy communities left behind. One tweet from June 23 read: "Monday evening litterpick, keeping my part of the city clean and tidy, round the clock. It is possible to live in a clean city, but people need to change their bad habits. It's as simple as that. LOVE YOUR BRUM." Monday evening litterpick, keeping my part of the city clean and tidy, round the clock. It is possible to live in a clean city, but people need to change their bad habits. It's as simple as that. LOVE YOUR BRUM x1 bag #OneMillionbags #Cleanerbrum — Brum X (@x_brum) June 23, 2025 Mentioned above, The Friends of Bradford Street group was set up in August 2022 to tackle high levels of litter plaguing Digbeth. One shocking video shared by the group on June 30 showed piles of nitrous oxide canisters and a whopping 25 bags collected in just one session. A massive thanks to the @howells_makes team for joining us today and doing their bit in our community — Friends of Bradford Street (@Bradford_St_Bhm) June 30, 2025 We asked Birmingham City Council how they prioritise where to clean in the city and what is being done to improve problem areas. Cllr Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: 'We know clean streets is one of the top priorities for residents in Birmingham and everyone has a part to play. "Our community groups and volunteers do a fantastic job with organised litter-picks, making a real difference to their communities. "As a council we support this by providing equipment and collecting rubbish after a litter-pick. 'We also have street cleaning crews out and about across the city, with busy shopping areas cleaned daily. 'Those that drop litter show a complete disregard for their environment and we would urge residents and visitors to show respect to others and take their litter home or put it in a bin.' 'Mike the litter picker' has been blitzing litter on his doorstep in Walsall since 2015 - and collects more than 40 rubbish bags each and every month. Volunteering in spare time, Mike shares his exploits on social media as 'Mike the litter picker', which started off because he was "sick" of seeing rubbish in his local area. Mike even posted a picture of his litter picking kit folded up to his X feed this week ahead of a trip, with the caption: "I'm off on my holidays to Madeira. I'm taking my kit just in case, compact it will fit in my case. Folding hands picker, lightweight ring, gloves bags cable ties, multi tool, knife, scraper and bin key . Better to have & not need than need & not have it!" Based in North Solihull, Clean and Green meet up to clean up their local environment, and highlight hazards on their Facebook page, which has 1,300 followers. One member posted on July 3 that she had cleared 19 glass bottles left festering in an upturned shop trolley in a wooded area. Group volunteer Graham Frost took BirminghamLive on a tour in March of the "disgraceful" litter and flytipping blighting his neighbourhood of Smith's Wood. During the tour the Auckland Drive resident pointed out: Food waste cartons and wrappers left on top and under hedges Dog mess bagged up and left on the side of paths Beer cans left on seating areas A lithium battery on the side of the road A stained mattress dumped in greenery An old pram thrown over a fence Old chairs and a mattress flytipped Broken glass on paths A pile of dirt and bricks left on the side of the road Rubbish bags piled up on top of each other next to the Auckland Drive sign Mr Frost said at the time: 'It is not actually too bad today as we recently did a pick - it has been a lot worse than this. 'It has been a problem for years before I even moved here five years ago." Solihull Council said it is planning a pilot to tackle littering and fly tipping in the area.
