More than 220 bags of litter taken off Walsall streets by litter pickers
More than 220 bags of litter were collected by volunteers in three separate litter picks during spring in litter hotspots across Walsall.
Staff from McDonald's, SUEZ and British Gas joined other volunteers as part of the council's Walsall Community Litter Watch initiative.
Councillor Kerry Murphy, portfolio holder for clean and green at Walsall Council, said, “Through our Walsall Community Litter Watch initiative, we are joining forces with residents, schools and businesses to tackle litter.
"We all need to do our bit for the environment, and I’d like to thank the 58 volunteers who took part in these events.
“There are lots of opportunities for local businesses to get involved and a litter pick is a simple and effective way to make a difference in your local community.
"Our Clean and Green team organises these litter picks on a regular basis and provides equipment free of charge. We have a litter charter for organisations to sign up to, and there are also sponsorship opportunities to help support and celebrate this important work.”
A total of 20 staff from local McDonald's restaurants helped remove 121 bags of litter and fly-tipped waste around Reedswood Retail Park in Walsall.
Callum Downes, area manager at McDonald's, said “At McDonald’s, we are keen to show our support for sustainability and dedication to local communities. With five restaurants situated in the Walsall area, we want to show our commitment to local residents, and this year marks the 40th year that McDonald’s has been conducting community litter picks.”
Volunteers from SUEZ recycling and recovery joined up with community volunteers and tackled litter hotspot areas in Blakenall, collecting 30 bags in two hours.
Affectionately called the Apna Team, which translates as ‘Our Team’ from Punjabi, the team of British Gas volunteers worked well together and had fun as they got stuck into the litter picking and seeing first-hand the positive impact it had on the community and local environment by removing 70 bags in just over five hours.
Soni Rai, area customer delivery manager at British Gas, said: “British Gas engineers have always been a trusted part of the community we work in, and we love to support our local community where we can.
"It was great to hear such positive feedback from residents about what we were doing - it’s always nice seeing happy, smiling faces and it gave us a nice warm feeling in our hearts as we filled the bags with litter found around the park and roads of Walsall.”
To find out more about opportunities for residents and businesses to get involved in litter picking in their local area, contact the Clean and Green team at Walsall Council.
