Firstly – Coronavirus is everone’s main focus at the moment.  The committee are considering the impact on our activities and more information will be issues soon.

14 volunteers met at Summerfields on Wednesday March.  We collected a big haul of 29 bags. We covered Colshaw Drive and the roads off it, Dean Row Rd, the area around the footbridge leading over the bypass to Lincoln Rd, the Lidl/Wilmslow Tavern/Village Centre areas and Manchester Rd (from Stanneylands Rd traffic lights to Wilmslow Garden Centre). Other volunteers covered Holly Road South & North and Water Lane/Altrincham Rd in vicinity of Fire Station/Chili Banana.  During the Summerfields pick, we met the local PCSO (Kerry) who told us that the residents association were planning some clean ups too – fantastic news. Since then, Ellie from “Friends of Colshaw Farm Parks” has been in touch – so we will be liaising with them for future events.  For future picks at Summerfields, we need to be aware that the Lidl car park has different regulations to the main Summerfields one.  One of our volunteers picked up a parking fine as a result.

9 volunteers met at Bank Square on Saturday 7th March. We collected  14 bags altogether. We focussed on Bank Square, the Railway station, the Leisure Centre, Bollin Link Road, Alderley Road, Knutsford Road, Chapel Lane, Grove St and the area surrounding Bank Square.

There have been a lot of solo picks recently too. The grand total for the month was at least 54 bags.  Well done everyone.

Gorsey Bank junior school borrowed our equipment so that they could do some litter picks which their “The Department for Environment” organised.   A really great effort and so good to see young people learning about litter – and it sounds like they all enjoyed it.

We are also in discussions with 1st Wilmslow guides about lending them our equipment. They have done litter picks before – and we are happy to support them.

The committee held a meeting in February – where we started the planning for the annual Spring Clean. We reviewed our financial situation and are able to progress the purchase of some new equipment.

The Spring Clean will run from Wednesday 1st -> Tuesday 7th April.  There will be 2 extra picks making 4 altogether.  We are also hoping to meet for drinks.

We have booked Wilmslow Library for our AGM on Mon 18th May from 19.30 -> 21:30. A formal notification will be sent to our members nearer the time.

We have contacted Cheshire East (ANSA) to request that they clean up all the litter pick on the verges of the A34 (the bypass). We are unable to litter pick for safety reasons.  Even ANSA can only do it when the road is shut.  For some reason they don’t schedule a regular clean up – and so we have to ask them to do it when it gets really bad.  They have responded promptly though – and we have had confirmation that the clean up is planned for the week commencing 20th April – great news.

We have contacted Wilmslow Town Council to see if the overgrown moss on the pavement near the Ford dealership can be tidied up as it is very overgrown and doesn’t give a good impression at one of the main gateways into the town.

“Alderley Edge In Bloom” have contacted us about their plans for Keep Britain Tidy’s Spring Clean event – and the possibility of joining forces for a litter pick on Heyes Lane.

One of our commitee members, Helen, has been talking to Costa about the possibility of a bin outside their premises.  Cheshire East (ANSA) do not have any budget for new bins unfortunately. Helen had a positive conversation with Verity who has been the Manager at Wilmslow Costa for 3 years. Verity explained that a rubbish bin is on order for their outside area – which their staff will empty. She wants it installed quickly because she gets complaints from the adjoining property owners at the rear when Costa customers lean over to use the neighbouring CEC residential bins. Verity seems well aware of community facilities and was saddened to lose the nearby pear sculpture when it was twice vandalised. She has had plants stolen from tubs she has planted up. She plans to send two members of staff to join in a Wednesday Litter Pick in due course – as part of their firm’s commitment  to the local community. Helen will alert Verity about the next suitable litter pick. This all sounds very promising.

All in all a very busy and productive month,  It is unclear how things will pan out of the next few months but we will keep you informed and the health safety of our volunteers is our main concern.