We have had another successful autumn litter pick along the two B roads that run through the parish. Our volunteers are able to do this as they are led and supervised by the North Cornwall Street Ranger team with their vehicle and road signs. This autumn we filled fewer sacks from the pick compared to last year; 13 compared to 17, so perhaps things are getting better.

However we were shocked to find more than forty used syringes and needles spread along about 20 metres of roadside going down towards Coads Green. They must have been jettisoned from a vehicle. We would not have been able to deal with this without the Street Ranger who had the experience and expertise to deal with the needles safely. We greatly value and respect the members of the Street Ranger team.At the present time we are concerned about their future; there is a risk their service will be cut. We have lobbied Cornwall Council on their behalf. If our North Hill project didn’t have their support, back up and encouragement I’m not sure we would keep going for long.

Who is the ‘Mystery Carling Can Thrower’? At the end of November along two patches of hedgerow cans suddenly appeared; one collection was on the North Hill to Trebartha road and 11 cans over a stretch of 40 metres from Way Cross to Tremollett. Whoever it may be – please recycle!

You might spot our robin ‘say sign NO to litter’ signs if you drive through the parish of St Cleer. Their newly formed team of litter volunteers liked our signs so much they asked if they could use them too.

Spring 2011Clean Cornwall Week is to be 2nd-10th April. Around that time we will pick the B roads again if the Street Rangers still exist to help us. There will also be a workshop at the Eden Project for Cornwall parishes that may be thinking of setting up their own volunteer litter projects. Our North Hill team will probably make a contribution to the workshop. We are recording less litter on our parish country lanes - Carling cans excepted!

Thank you all for your continuing support in keeping our parish LITTER-FREE.

Clean Cornwall Week

It’s Clean Cornwall Week from the 2nd - 10th April and our parish group will be carrying out the spring pick of both of the B roads as our contribution. We are pleased and relieved that our council Street Scene partners will yet again be able to work with us on these potentially more risky picks, providing us with a van to walk in front of and their expertise. It may well be that in the future council funding cuts will threaten this partnership but for the time being we value it highly.

Watch out for the prevention notices that we will be leaving up on both roads for a few days after the picks. We need to persevere with the ‘Say No To Litter’ message aimed at drivers using our B roads. We also hope to be working with some of our parish project partners on other tidying up operations during the week.

 

Our new sign

We're trying a new sign with the message 'Please RECYCLE', at places where we often find jettisoned drinks cans.

This photo shows the sign with a small sample of cans recently picked out of the hedgerows between Way Cross and Tremollett.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five Parishes Action Against Littering

Five neighbouring parishes here on the edge of Bodmin Moor are taking action against littering – a problem that we all see throughout the county. Clean public spaces – parish roads, lanes and greens – are so important for community wellbeing, helping us to appreciate the natural environment, and giving visitors to Cornwall the best possible impression.
The Litter Free Project that started here in North Hill three years ago has now spread to Linkinhorne, St Cleer and Lewannick parishes; groups of volunteers are determined to do something positive about littering. They co-ordinate litter picking, with individuals taking responsibility for particular routes; their hi-viz vests, pickers and bags are supplied by Cornwall Council. The fifth parish is St Ive where a group is now being set up.
But this is not just about clearing litter away; it’s also about preventing littering. Different approaches are used to promote the litter free message. For example, signs are placed at roadsides following a litter pick; reports and photographs are published in the parish newsletters; hands-on work with schools engages with young people, and local businesses and community groups are encouraged to be partners in the Litter Free projects.
Roger Catchpole (North Hill parish group) attends the ‘Clean Cornwall’ meetings, contributing to the development of county-wide strategies and giving insights into successful local actions.
With take-away food packaging, drinks containers and plastic bags now all too familiar a sight on Cornish roads, the litter problem must be tackled – and communities working in partnership with Cornwall Council can make a tremendous difference in helping to keep Cornwall clean.

 

 

 

Litter: from a regular visitor to North Hill

There I was, litter-picker-upper in one hand and plastic bag in the other, walking towards Trebartha from North Hill.  I usually took this kit with me on walks, doing my bit to keep the countryside clear of litter, but there was definitely something different - there seemed on this stretch of road to be no litter at all.  Next thing I knew, a pair of slightly disreputable individuals was coming towards me all kitted up with walking boots and anoraks, and (you’ve guessed it) litter-pickers and plastic bags.

They turned out to be Jill and Tom from Landreyne, who told me about the parish litter group - which explained the state of the road. (*Keith Woods, a volunteer from North Hill village, now looks after this road.)

I had been thinking about some kind of litter organization at home - we live in Bowdon, 10 miles SW of Manchester.  So now we have a group along the lines of the North Hill parish initiative. In our suburban environment there is much more litter.  We have 5 schools, two pubs and a 150­-vehicle car park; population density is high.  Even not counting school children, the population of the square mile around our house is probably 2,000.

A letter was delivered to every address in the chosen area, 20 at a time, asking for volunteers.  My secret weapon was the offer of a cup of coffee and a slice of cake in the newly opened café round the corner, where I would explain the plan.  About one volunteer came forward per 20 houses - I ended up drinking gallons of coffee and consuming cart-loads of chocolate cake.  But it was worth it, because by the time all the roads in the square mile were covered we had 30 volunteers, and I had a great many new friends.

Only two letters produced responses which were less than welcoming.  Their gist was ‘keep off our patch’, because residents were already doing the necessary.

We meet at intervals at someone’s house. About 10 turn up, we have a chin-wag and swap ideas with minimal formality.  But I do circulate a brief note of what was discussed, people prefer it that way. 

The next step?  Some want to duplicate our model in adjoining parts of the Manchester conurbation, and I am hoping to find an organizer for the new group(s) - anyone from Cornwall thinking of re-locating to the North-West any time soon? 

Michael Carter

Bowdon Litter Pickers

* Update Nov 2011. For more see www.litterfree.co.uk