Welton Pickers

We will focus on street litter and beach litter to protect all of nature

Dedicated to cleaning up the environment (we also make websites) -

The aim of this group is to keep our estate and its adjoining green spaces clear of litter. I collect on a regular basis and would love to be supported by other like minded people.

I would like to focus on the local nature reserve. It is such a wonderful place but unfortunately trash can be found everywhere. I would like to find some wonderful people and together clean this area as it\'s not only a great place to admire nature, go for a run, a hike or walk your dog, but it is also home to a wide range of wildlife species

The Clean-up Team is part of West Rainton Green Group, which was formed in April 2003. We aim to remove litter from paths, bridleways, road verges and other open space in the vicinity of West Rainton, thereby improving the attractiveness of the local area. The work is undertaken by members of the Green Group in their spare time. We organise about five or six events each year, and members of our team also collect litter on an individual basis from time to time when the need arises. Since the start of the project we have collected 100 - 150 bags a year, and attempt to recycle as much as possible, particularly cans and bottles. Prior to each event contact is made with Durham County Council, who provide a truck to remove all the bags that are collected. We have contributed to national and regional environmental programmes such as Community Service Volunteers 'Action Earth' campaign, City of Sunderland's 'Just Bin It' campaign, Litterfree Durham's 'Big Spring Clean' and the ENCAMS 'Big Tidy Up'. Since 2009 we have worked in partnership with Network Rail to clean up a nearby length of disused railway. As well as litter-picking we also alert Durham County Council and City of Sunderland Council to fly-tipping in the vicinity of the village as soon as it happens. Prompt removal has significantly improved the visual appeal of local lanes and paths. About 300 incidents have been reported since 2003.

We want to get beyond litter picking (though we still do it) and we seek to educate the younger generation through running humorous photographic contests on an anti-litter theme, school visits, and publicity on the issue generally This year we are running Litter Goes Literary, a photographic contest for young people (free entry) who must submit a humourly captioned photo from a litter pick, along with an ecologised version of one verse of a favourite song.

Pick up litter. And check on elderly in community all must have a electronic CRB. Chat to people on our way. And be the eyes of the community of chaucer. Help residents get out and do exercise and advice on wellbeing lifestyles. Tackle there issues they are facing and try to make a difference in the community build a effective cohesiveness in all of the community\'s. And much more. Guide youths to be productive and to find there visions and guide them into it.

Who are we? We are an environmental group undertaking planting in our village, litter picks, promoting reduction in Co2 and smart driving, and working with the local community to make our village a litter free area. We deliver over 1700 newsletters around our village promoting our message and work with Thringstone Primary School and the local brownie group various events, including a scarecrow festival in June 2011 which brought together all sectors of the community . We held another scarecrow event, in conjunction with Thringstone Methodists, on Saturday 6th July 2013. Our chairman litter picks daily, and is helped by others who litter pick regularly. We try, where possible, to recycle items which can be recycled. We petitioned for extra recycling bins in our village and now have two tin and plastic bottle recycling points and a glass recycling point, and are currently asking for the council to consider ways of recycling acceptable items put in roadside litter bins. Between February 2013 and the end of February 2014, we removed 1,958 bags of litter from the village and woodlands, which we feel is a staggering amount. We have also worked with other groups on environmental issues in the village, and were part of the steering group that saw Thringstone Youth Club win the Children and Young People\\\\\\\'s Green Footprints Award in 2011 for their mural project. We have taken over several flowerbeds and previously untidy and unused areas in the village for planting and offer historical and environmental walks around the village. Please see our website which is www.friends-of-thringstone.org.uk for further details on our group, plus details on our constitution, health and safety policy, equal opportunities policy, parental consent statements and volunteer expenses statement. You can also see on that site details of all our publications. What have we done? In 2009 we won the NW Leicestershire Green Footprints Awards, were awarded an outstanding achievement certificate by East Midlands In Bloom in 2009, and won a gold and silver in the village achievement awards run by the Rural Community Council. In 2010 and were finalists in the Community and Partnerships category of the NWLDC\\\\\\\'s Green Footprints Awards and again in 2013. In 2011 we won The Queen\\\\\\\'s Award for Voluntary Service, something of which we are very proud, especially since 2011 was the European Year of Volunteering,. In 2015 we won the Big Tidy Award at the Keep Britain Tidy Jubilee Awards 2015. In 2021 we won the Leicestershire Live Environmental Heroes Award and also won the Community Organisation Award 2021 with Leicestershire Community Champions. We have a facebook page, and we are also on twitter - address is @Thringstone2. In 2019, our chairman was awarded a British Empire Medal for service to Thringstone and in September 2019, her dog, who accompanied her on all her litter picks, was awarded a commendation from the PDSA.

We collect litter in a relatively informal way in the area around Nomansland Common.

A group dedicated to ensuring that Pickmere remains litter free. We will have a communal litter picking box where people can collect equipment and pick when they get the time rather than a regular group.