Richard Stevens

I’ve known for a long time that there are many people who quietly go out on a regular basis and carry out litter picks in their own area. There’s a gentleman who cleans Nannygoat Lane every day and another who keeps Granville Terrace and the footpaths into town clean. I also know of a couple of others who regularly walk over Crown Meadow with a plastic bag which they fill within minutes. I do my little bit in Oulton Road.

But the interesting development has been the knock on effect of the community litter pick a couple of weeks ago. Last night I went to a concert in Hanley and had a lovely conversation with a friend from Airdale Road who wanted to know when the next litter pick was being held. She’d been speaking to a friend who also wanted to get involved. And since that Saturday she’d been out on her own and had collected over five bags of litter on one occasion!

And on Thursday evening I walked to a meeting in Newcastle Road and used the footpath across the railway line off Station Approach. There in the dusk I came across a couple who’d also taken part in the litter pick and had decided to try and clear up this particular path in their own time!

Clearly litter picking is becoming contagious! The combined effect of the work of these unsung heroes is already being noticed. The town is definitely looking tidier. Let’s hope we can encourage even more people to do the same. Copngratulation and keep up the good work!