News Update : 27-JUN-22

Since the last news update we have:

a) Continued with our twice monthly litter picks :

10 volunteers met on Summerfields on Wednesday 1^st June. We collected 14 bags. The usual areas were covered from our base at Summerfields, with Colshaw Drive, and the roads off it, providing the greatest amount to be picked.

6 participants met at Banks Square on Saturday 4^th June. We focussed on the town centre including the station, the Leisure Centre, Church St, Cliff Road, Grove Ave., Water Lane, Sainsburys/library and the Bollin Link. We collected 7 bags.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

b) Continued with our solo picks.

c) Reported a fly tipping incident to ANSA : a large fridge-freezer abandoned near the A34 footbridge.

d) Continued attempts to contact the relevant body in order to get a sunken shopping trolley removed from the river Bollin.

e) Reported a burnt out bin (at the corner of Leaside Way and the Prestbury Link Rd) to ANSA

f) Discussion with the “Wilmslow In Bloom” team about the annual judging on Monday 4^th July.

g) Updated the bag count on the website : 265 bags so far this year.

h) Between January and May 2022, we have been supporting two female WHS students complete their community volunteering section of the DofE Bronze Award Scheme. The girls each carried out 13 one hour litter picking sessions around the Sainsbury’s Car Park and the public for path that runs along the railway tracks behind the high school. In total they collected 26 bags of litter. These locations were chosen to demonstrate to the girls how litter is repeatedly being dropped in the same locations, and that most of it is being dropped by their peers. They said that his has ‘opened their eyes’ and shocked them. It has given them an increased awareness that they intend to use to try and change the attitudes of their peers wherever they can. A Fantastic effort – and hopefully there will be other similar initiatives in the future.

Hope to see you at the July picks.

News Update : 29-MAY-22

Since the last news update we have:

a) Continued with our twice monthly litter picks :

5 volunteers met at The Parish Hall on a very wet morning on Wednesday 4^th May. We covered the surrounding area including The Carrs, Cliff Road, The Bollin Link and Lacey Green. We collected 4 bags. We were delighted to welcome a new volunteer (Judith)

5 volunteers met at The Honey Bee on Saturday 7^th May. We covered Altrincham Road and the area around the airport tunnels. We collected around 6 bags and some debris

Thanks to everyone who participated.

b) Continued with our solo picks.

c) Held a joint litter picking exercise with Hickory’s (one of our leading co-sponsors) on Tuesday 24^th May. Despite the poor weather 5 of our volunteers spent an hour focussing on the area from Hickory’s to Waters and collected 6 bags. We then handed the reins over to a group of 12 from Hickory’s who focussed on the Lindow Common area. They had a great time collecting a further 6 bags, a burst tyre and a number plate. This was a very successfully joint exercise. Many thanks to Hickory’s for their ongoing support and for the courtesy coffees.

d) Liaised with the Halifax whose staff are planning on attending our scheduled pick on Saturday 4^th June. Really encouraging to have another business getting involved.

e) Began an exercise to review our current insurance provider and explore alternatives

f) Updated the bag count on the website. We collected over 50 bags in both March and April. This includes a contribution by some high school pupils who are doing their Duke of Edinburgh award.

Hope to see you at the June picks.

News Update : 01-MAY-22

Since the last news update we have:

a) Continued with our twice monthly litter picks :

7 volunteers met outside Lacey Green Park on Wednesday 6^th April. We covered Lacey Green and collected around 9 bags

5 volunteers met at Bank Square on Saturday 9^th April. We covered the town centre and collected 7 bags altogether

b) Continued with our solo picks.

c) Continued to discuss design of litter picking trolleys

d) Obtained a refund for our AGM meeting room booking at Wilmslow library. The meeting was cancelled due to Covid and we now have the option of a free meeting room at Hickory’s

e) Chased ANSA regarding the process for procuring new litter bins.

Hope to see you at the May picks.

News Update : 03-APR-22

Since the last news update we have:

a) Continued with our twice monthly litter picks :

6 volunteers met at The Farmer’s Arms on Wednesday 2^nd March. We covered Chapel Lane and the surrounding area including the side roads near Kenmore Medical Centre. We also covered the areas around Bollin Link, Buckingham Road and Lindow Common. We were pleased to welcome a new volunteer (Dorothy). We collected 8 bags altogether.

6 volunteers met at Summerfields on Saturday 5^th March. We covered the surrounding area including Colshaw Drive and Kingsbury Drive. This area is a litter hot spot and we collected a big haul of 13 bags.

b) Continued with our solo picks.

c) Held a committee meeting. Highlights include :

i) Reviewed our accounts.
ii) Discussed the annual “Spring Clean” this year – and voted against organising one this year. Hopefully we will be back on track in 2023.
iii) Agreed to apply for a grant to help fund some trolleys – to help make litter picking accessible to more people.

iv) Reviewed our “co-sponsor” initiative which is going very well – you may have seen our window stickers appearing in the town.

v) Agreed to set up a working party to review the best options for our annual insurance.
vi) Reviewed membership activity. 38 out of our 78 members have been actively involved in litter picking over the past 6 months. We have had 9 new members. Well done to everyone – but especially our chairman, Chris Evans, who leads the field with 12 picks.
vii) Discussed our annual involvement in helping clean up after the Wilmslow Show. We will probably man a stand at this year’s event too – on 3rd July

d) Corresponded with a group of Wilmslow High School pupils who are competing in a national competition called “Young Enterprise”. Their aim is connect the community through cooking and baking – and they are doing a 10 minute litter pick for every recipe they receive.

Hope to see you at the April picks.

News Update : 27-FEB-22

Since the last news update we have:

a) Continued with our twice monthly litter picks :

9 volunteers met at Bank Square on Wednesday 2^nd February and went for a post pick coffee in Konak Cafe. We covered the surrounding area including Broadway, the High School entrance, the Station, the Leisure centre, Sainsbury Car Parks, Grove St, Grove Ave, Grove Way, the areas around the viaduct and the Ford Garage, Church Road, the playground and car park by the Parish Hall and the Remembrance Gardens . We collected at least 15 bags and some recyclables.

12 volunteers met at The Honey Bee on Saturday 5^th February. We spread out around the area as usual, with cars re-locating to near Eccups Lane, Morley Green Garden Centre & near the Airport Hotel. We collected 15 bags plus a few large items. It was another damp morning but 7 of us enjoyed a coffee afterwards.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Liz for leading her first pick.

b) Continued with our solo picks.

c) Reported some fly tipping (including a litter bin !) to ANSA

d) Welcomed another co-sponsor – many thanks to Konak Café. We now have 6 co-sponsors who have all contributed at least £50 to our funds :

e) Welcomed some new volunteers

f) Heard from Cllr Julie Dawn Potts that she has worked with ANSA to get 4 new litter bins installed : one on the path off Upcast Lane (opposite Lindow Cricket Club), one outside the wooden gates at Newgate Nature Reserve, one at the crossroads at the bottom of Newgate and one outside Peter Herd’s bakery on Chapel Lane . Great news.

g) Responded to an enquiry from someone interested in setting up a litter picking team in Macclesfield

h) Reviewed our email distribution list – and removed some old members

i) Started to consider whether to re-introduce the annual Spring Clean

Hope to see you at the March picks.

Wilmslow CleanTeam

Volunteer group helping to clean up the litter in Wilmslow

News Update : 29-MAY-22

News Update : 01-MAY-22