Children clean estate over Easter
It’s been a busy Easter half term with the children helping to clean up the Grange Estate.
I hadn’t realised just quite how much myself and the children had done until I put together this post.
Thank you so much to all the children who have spent hours litter picking, collecting fly tipping and cleaning street signs over the Easter half term.
You are all amazing and great Litter Ninjas
Sunday March 27th – Trolley Test Run
Lugging sacks of litter around the estate is hard work.
I spotted a handy little trolley I thought would convert nicely into a litter cart
I took the trolley out on a test run with Harvey and Owen, I’m pleased to report it worked perfectly.
We filled 3 sacks to the brim with recycling waste.
Please make sure you wash, squash and put the recycling into the correct boxes, put light weight items at the bottom and weigh it down with heavier items.
If the recycling waste is dropped during collection please report this to DDC.
If you do not have a black bin please request one from DDC – online request form
We came across 3 sacks of mixed rubbish in the alley on the Severn.
These will not be collected and should be taken to the tip.
I am also very happy to report Tamar Square and the play area were litter free
Tuesday 29th March – A very productive afternoon with Harvey, TJ and Ella
A very productive afternoon with Harvey, TJ and Ella.
We covered a huge area filling 4 sacks to the brim as well as collecting random items dumped around the estate, we also reported a vandalised phone box on Tyne road.
We have left the sacks where they can be collected easily by EMS street cleansers, 2 on Tyne road by the bus stop near the Tweed, 2 at the Cherwell street sign, 2 at the post box on Tamar Square, 2 at the bin by Grovelands.
We swept up broken glass and sprayed dog poo.
We also removed any circus posters that we came across that are all all over the estate.
Thank you Harvey, TJ and Ella for all your help – many hands make light work.
Wednesday March 30th – Litter Picking and Sign Cleaning
I had a knock on my door at 1:30 this afternoon it was TJ, Harvey and Drew eager to go out litter picking.
We decided to finish off what we started yesterday so headed back to the Cherwell going through Waveney, The Wye and The Stour.
One kind lady gave the boys 50p each for their efforts and boy did that come in useful as half way through they were really thirsty so bought themselves a drink.
We finished litter picking on the Cherwell including cleaning the road sign before heading off to The Witham and The Leam.
What a mess the play park was in on the Witham, pieces of wood some with nails in and litter strewn everywhere.
Please if you use this park take your litter home and put it in your own bin.
Next we went to the park on Dee Walk which was still litter free from yesterday’s litter pick.
Thank you to all the children who use this park.
We headed back home via Welland and The Tweed.
Two more street signs cleaned and more litter picked, thank you Rob for the water to wash the sign down.
We finished off at the entrance of The Stour clearing out the big hedge and cleaning the street signs.
This done we eventually headed home.
We met some more children at the Heli Park who were bursting to go out litter picking, by this time after being out for 3 hours with the boys I was just far too knackered but the girls Marlena, Izzy, Maisey and Lilly were happy to go off with my litter pick sticks and gather anything we had missed earlier.
It has been such an enjoyable afternoon, we met so many nice people along the way.
Thank you to everyone who thanked the children who helped make such a difference today.
I say it all the time and I’ll say it again, we have great kids on our estate who should feel very proud of themselves for helping out by litter picking or by simply not dropping litter and caring about where they live.
Thank you parents for letting your children come along and help me.
Thursday March 31st – Out With The Litter Ninjas Again
Out again with Owen, Harvey and TJ today litter picking and giving The Severn sign a clean.
All I have heard is compliments about how nice the estate is looking and how great the kids are taking care of the estate that they live on.
I was told by a gentleman from EMS that he had met two of the most well spoken, polite children he has ever come across as he was collecting the litter sack from the bins, I felt so proud as if they were my own children ^5 parents you are doing a grand job.
I have informed the scrap man about the 3 old bikes left on The Severn.
Reported the fly tipped freezer and fridge freezer on The Tweed and Welland .
The only down side today is the irresponsible dog owner who has allowed their dog to foul on the grass between the 2 sets of swings at the Heli Park GRRR this is now sprayed orange so the children can avoid stepping in it.
Monday April 4th – Out With Owen And Ashley
Over 4 hours litter picking today with Owen and Ashley, thank you so much for all your help.
13,000 steps clocked up.
Oldest find was a can dating back to 1997.
The good news is that so much of the estate is still looking good after the weekend, both main parks almost litter free as was Tamar Square.
We filled 4 sacks which consisted mostly of dropped recycling waste from Saturday’s collection, take away litter, drink bottles and cans.
We also litter picked and swept Yeomanry subway, removed graffiti and cleaned the Staverton Road sign.
The dog fouling on the area between the Pike and Eel and the flats has again become a problem we sprayed so much of it, please keep an eye out for whoever is responsible and report them.
We swept up all the cigarette butts outside the Grange Convenience Store.
Cigarette butts are also litter and can take 12 – 20 years to biodegrade – Please put your butts in the bin.
There was a lot of broken glass on Nene Walk and on the grass nearby, this has also been swept up.
Fallen tree reported.
Smell of gas from Gas governing Station reported.
Fly tipped divan reported.
Conclusion
I have had a thoroughly lovely time this Easter working with our amazing Litter Ninjas.
I am going to miss your company next week when you are all back to school.
You have helped make the Grange Estate look to its best in over 20 years
I feel now we have banished the litter problem we can now work towards things that will enhance our estate even further.