Could you adopt a street?

Could you adopt a street?

Litter-conscious residents in the district can now get extra support to help keep their streets and parks free of litter by signing up to ‘Adopt a Street’.

Wyre Forest District Council has launched the campaign. It is to support existing volunteers as well as appealing for new ones to adopt a street and make it a community effort to reduce litter.

The scheme is open to residents, community groups and schools. Volunteers can let the council know the area they wish to adopt and will be provided with litter picking equipment, bags and health and safety information. There is a commitment to litter pick the chosen area at least three times a year. Litter collected can be put in black bins but if this cannot be done the council can arrange for it to be collected.

A new litter picking group has already been formed on the Walshes and Areley Kings estate in Stourport. The Green Earthings came together to adopt a street. The group is growing and welcomes all ages, in particular the younger generations. It wants youngsters to learn about the effect of litter on the street.

Emese Burnip leads the group, she said:

“We wanted to join this great scheme so we can make a difference in our neighbourhood and having the extra equipment allows us to grow. This is a fantastic scheme; a great initiative and we’d like to encourage other groups to apply to join it.

 

Our group feels fantastic every time we complete a litter pick, it’s an amazing feeling to give back, make a difference and spend time with like-minded people.“

 

The Pickup Artists is a community group which has been picking up litter in the district for the past five years. Michelle Medler, founder of the group, is encouraging members to sign up to Adopt a Street.  She said:

“The ethos behind The Pickup Artists has always been for people to look after where they live and take pride in their surroundings.  I’m really excited about this new scheme and hope more people get involved.“

 

The Adopt a Street scheme will complement existing street cleaning across the district.

Councillor Ben Brookes is Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Operational Services. He has signed up and adopted the street where he lives. He said:

“We all need to do our bit for the environment and there is no better place to start than in your own street or road. You don’t need to commit a huge amount of time to cleaning, even a five-minute pick can really make a difference, so please consider adopting your local area and pledging to keep it litter free.

We will still be carrying out our litter picking and street cleansing duties. This is about working together to help keep the district clean, safe and green.“

 

To sign up to Adopt a Street and for more information visit www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/adopt_a_street.