Pride of Stamford Litter Pickers celebrate five years of street cleaning
Before the sun comes up, a small team armed with sticks and bags sets off with one main aim in mind - to keep the streets of Stamford tidy.
The Pride of Stamford Litter Pickers marked their fifth anniversary on Saturday. Over the years the effect they’ve had has gone largely unrecognised - but that’s the nature of litter. People only notice it when it’s a problem.
Walking routes masterminded by Jayne Hartley from Uffington, an insurance clerk for Coversure by day, they have collected hundreds of bag loads of discarded waste in five years.
The rest of the core team - affectionately known as ‘ninjas’ is made up of Stamford residents Alison Lowe, Liz Groves, Nina Van Dyck and Neil McIvor.
Gathering before dawn at Morrisons car park in Stamford last Saturday, the team headed off in different directions into and around the town, using ‘grabbers’ to collect any visible rubbish.
“We try to get rid of all the litter people can see when they walk or drive through Stamford so that the town looks its best,” said Neil, a groundworker who gets up early every morning and often combines walking the dog with litter picking.
“Litter breeds more litter, so keeping the streets clean makes people think twice about dropping any.”
While plenty of the waste can be traced to fast food outlets such as McDonald’s, Neil doesn’t blame the companies. “It’s people who drop litter,” he said.
Heading out with the team is an eye-opener. Plastic lids from takeaway cups are one of the most frequent finds, as are plastic bottles - some containing urine, having been flung onto verges from passing vehicles.
Some items found discarded over the years couldn’t be mentioned in the Mercury - and as well as raising eyebrows, have raised a few laughs among the ‘ninjas’.
Nina, a self-employed cleaner, said she finds their Saturday morning litter pick a great way to start the weekend, and since they’re finished by 8am it doesn’t stop her having plans for the rest of the day.
Liz, a painter and decorator, said some people don’t understand why the team - all unpaid volunteers - choose to do what they do. But for her, it’s partly about getting exercise - each wears a Fitbit watches to count their steps and they compete to see who’s walked the most in a week.
“More importantly, we have a laugh,” she added.
Pride of Stamford Litter Pickers step in after rubbish strewn across street
