Community Spring Clean with Liam Wildish

So many bags of litter!

Liam’s Community Spring Clean

Liam Wildish has recently become a local hero and celebrity with his community-spirited, clean-up of the area.  He runs his own ‘Clean Scene’ window cleaning business and he took it upon himself to clean the odd road sign or two https://www.cleanyx.com/GB/East-Retford/216885679007526/Clean-Scene-Window-Cleaning.  This snowballed and he was soon cleaning nearly all the road signs that were safely accessible for him – in his spare time and at his own expense.  His work was noticed and he found himself in the local paper and then… before he knew it… on BBC Television’s  ‘The One Show’ being interviewed by Matt Baker and Alex Jones. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/  And he went viral too!

Liam Wildish recruits a team of local volunteers for some community action
21 year old Liam Wildish, the organiser of the ‘Big Retford Town Clean-up’

 

 

 

Litter-picking grabbers at the ready

His Facebook following soon grew and he used his newfound celebrity to launch his ‘Clean Up Retford Campaign’.   He jumped through all the hoops to organise a ‘Sunday Morning Clean Up’ and invited all those who could make it, to join him.  Having checked with the local council, he read out the ‘dos and donts’ and made everyone aware of the  ‘risks involved’ and then handed out hi-vis vests and litter-picking-grabbers!

Hi-vis vests, rubbish bags and litter-grabbers are handed out to the team at the start.
Hi-vis vests, rubbish bags and litter-grabbers are handed out to the team

A good crowd for a first community event

I estimate that approximately 20 people turned up, including some members of the local youth club, a dad with a baby strapped to his chest and even a few people from outside the area.

The team gets organised
Liam’s team gets organised with hi-vis vests, bags and grabbers

Many, many, many, cigarette butts

The litter pickers sorted themselves into small groups and broke off in different directions.   We were to return to the start-point in two hours.  Fortunately the day was fine and warm and friendly banter made the two hours fly by.  Many, many, many cigarette butts and at least twenty full bags of rubbish later, Liam’s first community action was complete.

A growing initiative

I am sure that this initiative will grow and that Liam’s next community event will receive even more support.  Credit due to the lad, he gives his time for free and his enthusiasm is infectious.  His intentions are good and he sets a fine example.  We need more Liams!

 

A member of Liam’s team cleaning up the town
Litter-pickers all over town

We shouldn’t have to rely on someone else to clean up our mess

Retford is an historic, Georgian market town in the Bassetlaw area of North Nottinghamshire and like every other small town it  faces struggles.  I think we all know that resources are scant and we can’t always rely on these already overstretched funds to keep our environment immaculately clean.  It is up to us as individuals to take responsibility for our actions.

the litter-pickers return with bags of rubbish
After two hours the litter-pickers return

If everyone did a little – the effect would be huge and we would all benefit

If only everyone would do just a little bit – like tidying up outside their own front door or outside their business – life would be so much sweeter.  It should only take a few minutes, it would be so worth it and the world be a better place… for everyone.

Every little helps, as some big supermarket once said.