Regular readers will remember that PC Andy Whitehall and his police colleagues organised a very succesful community litter pick at the beginning of the year. Well, it was so succesful that there have been numerous requests for another . So here’s advance notice that the next litter pick will take place on Saturday 21st June. Meet in Market Square at 10.00 a.m.

If the last event is anything to go by, there’ll be dozens of folk turning out. Come along and spend an hour or so tidying up the town. Everything is provided but don’t wear your Sunday best!

As I walked into town this morning I was amazed to see our ‘Streetscene operative’ - Kev to you and me! - proudly cleaning the street with a brand new Green Machine! OK - so it isn’t a ’sit on’ machine and Kev does have to push and steer it - but it’s better than him having to keep the town clean with just a litter picker and brush!

Although he was feigning indifference, I’m sure he’s actually rather taken with it! He was eager to show me the various bits of kit including a suction hose - so we should see fewer cigarette ends around the town. With flashing orange lights and a bleeping siren we should all know where to find Kev in future!

Yesterday afternoon I spent a very interesting hour or so with the working group which has been formed by the Town Council to decide upon the way to create a wildflower meadow on Crown Meadow.

We’ve had the meadow inspected by an expert who has recommended that we create ’scrapes’ and sow or plant wildflowers that thrive in damp and boggy conditions around the edges. We had to decide how to do the job. We could simply buy seed and scatter it hoping that some of it would germinate. Or we could buy lifted ‘clumps’ or, better still, pot grown specimens. Obviously there is quite a diference in costs so we decided to make some more enquiries particularly with regard to coverage.

We then became engaged in a lengthy debate about the ethics of planting a fritillary meadow. This had been suggested at an earlier stage but when we were told that fratilleries did not exist in their natural state as far north as Stone the majority of the group thought that to plant them on Crown Meadow would create an artificial environment. So fratillaries will remain in gardens and only idiginous wild flowers will be seen on Crown Meadow.

It is hoped that work on the scrapes can be completed in time to sow and plant later in the season.

Two or three times a year, the Common Plott trustees organise a Sunday morning community working party. Teams of volunteers set to and carry out maintenance projects such as hedge planting, fence and gate repairs and cutting back weeds and shrubs. Janet and I have been helping out for many years now and we always enjoy these events.

Yesterday was quite an event! PC Andy Whitehall had brought along a dozen or so lads and lasses from his Reel’em In fishing project and there was another dozen or so helpers to help Adrian, the Plott keeper, to tackle some major jobs.

Andy took some of his team off to plant trees in the woodland whilst the rest of us tackled the cutting down of overgrowing trees on the bottom path. Three chain saws were in operation at one time and were having a job to keep up with the speed at which we were clearing the branches away! By the end of the morning two very large areas had been cleared much to Adrian’s delight. The clearings will allow fresh growth and will encourage wildlife, insects and butterflies in the summer.  

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!

Stafford and Rural Homes have done a magnificent job on the Priory Estate over the last couple of years and Julie, the kingpin of the whole scheme, willl shortly be moving on to her next project in Stafford. However before she leaves, she arranged a walkabout yesterday so that any outstanding issues could be logged and action authorised.

A handful of councillors (yes - unbeknown to one of my colleagues - part of the estate is in my ward!) and a couple of residents followed Julie around the estate looking for ’snags’ to list on her clipboard. The fact that she was unable to complete one full side of paper must be testament to the brilliant job she’s been doing. A bit of graffiti here, a broken fence panel there, a couple of small painting jobs requiring completion - but nothing very serious. Apart from the ongoing issue of the fence alongside the Cricket Club. Apparantly there is a longstanding dispute as to who is liable for repairs - and whilst the argument goes on, the fence remains an eyesore and, in my mind, a potential danger. Julie has undertaken to try and get the Borough’s legal department on the job as soon as possible.

The whole estate is really looking good now. Stafford and Rural have spent a great deal on refurbishment of the housing stock and the improvement is so obvious. New roofs and windows must surely be making for a more comfortable life for the residents. And new garden fences and tarmac parking spaces certainly improve the outward appearance of the estate as well. Well done S&R and Julie, in particular.

As part of the public art project being sponsored by Groundworks, the canal tow path contractors, invitations have gone out most Stone schools, churches and voluntary bodies to each produce a tile. Which is why this morning Jill Hood and I, wearing our Food and Drink Festival hats, went along to the Youth Centre to make a tile depicting the logo. When I arrived I was amazed to find dozens of children and their parents plus repreentatives of local groups all busy transferring their designs to tracing paper and then onto soft clay tiles.

Some of the designs were wonderful! Several of the youngsters had drawn canal pictures, others had drawn local landmarks and one six year old had designed a tile solely depicting our Farmers’ Market. His mother explained that he just loves the Farmers’ Markets each month - and I thought we only appealed to the more mature customer!

Jill and I (well, it was actually all Jill!) created our tile which will now be fired and brought back next week for painting prior to its final firing. Then I do hope that all the tiles will be affixed to a suitable piece of artwork - not the proposed seat which I and many others consider inappropriate, unoriginal and downright ugly. But that’s another battle!

Today the final surface was being rolled flat on the tow path above Star Lock and I guess that the barriers will be removed later today. There is still a small stretch of work to be done below the Star but we are not far away from the whole scheme being completed.

Thanks to funding from Stone Market Town Initiative and British Waterways, the tow path from Workhouse Bridge to the end of Westbridge Park will be smooth tarmac, new moorings will be available alongside Westbridge Park and disabled access created into the park. A new winding point will also allow craft to turn below the lock thereby saving many thousands of gallons of water.

The only outstanding item will be the installation of signage. Following a meeting earlier in the week when the details for Information  Boards and Direction Signs were agreed, I am confident all signs will be in place well before the boating season starts in a couple of months time.

I’m sure the completed project will be much admired by townsfolk and visitors alike and will encourage more visitors to stay longer in the town.

I’ve attended many funerals at Stafford Crematorium and, like most people, have often wondered what exactly happens ‘behind the curtain’. Well, today I was able to find out. Borough councillors were given the opportunity of a guided tour and very interesting it was, too.

The ‘crem’ is about to undergo a major refurbishment to lift it out of its 1960’s decor and to improve the facilities for the bereaved. The work is to be carried out over the next few months in a phased timing designed to ensure no disruption to services.

The ‘working parts’ were extremely interesting and surprisingly clinical and clean. I’m not sure what I was expecting but I came away very impressed with the procedures. Open Days are held each year so if any member of the public wishes to ‘do the tour’, look out for the advertisement.

This afternoon I took a trailer load of garden waste up to the Household Recycling Centre in Opal Way where I was assisted by the usual gang of very helpful and polite assistants. Our brown wheelie bin was already full as Jan has spent the last few days in the garden clearing up ready for the Spring.

After the lads had helped us to unload, they handed us a leaflet setting out new opening times with effect from 31st March. The major change is that the site will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (not Wednesdays and Thursdays as now). However on the days that Stone is closed I note that the Stafford site in St. Albans Road will be open.

And throughout the summer (i.e. until the end of British Summer Time) on the days when the site is open, the opening hours will be from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Janet had not seen the site before and was extremely impressed. She has been saving our empty Tetrapacs (fruit juice cartons) and was delighted to find a recycling bin solely for them! I can see more trips are in store!