VOLUNTEERS from a new Warrington Litter Networks group braved the elements to collect more than 70 bags of rubbish in and around the Howley area of town.
Organisers James Witty, Julie Campbell and Hannah Austin leafleted 200 local houses, put posters in local businesses and wrote in the St Elphins school newsletter to raise local volunteers from Howley.
On their first litterpick last Sunday morning (6/2/22) 15 volunteers braved the high winds and rain, and scooped up an amazing 71 bags of litter.
Grouped into three teams, they completed a circuit around the St Elphins area, finishing up with homemade tomato soup provided by the kind volunteers at the St Elphins Park cafe. All the bags were collected by Warrington Borough Council.
Another Howley litter pick is already arranged for next Sunday morning 20th February.
The Howley team is organised within the existing Fairfield and Howley litter network, which is on Facebook or via litternetworks.org
To sign up for a place please message the organisers using the Facebook page for “Fairfield and Howley Litter Network”.
Once signed up, the volunteers communicate more directly using a WhatsApp group.
Once regular fortnightly Howley picks are established the group hopes to extend the process to include a local Fairfield team.
As James Witty puts it, “Sunday was a huge first step. We wanted to develop a local residents’ litter team to tackle the historic litter problem and keep Howley and Fairfield looking its best. With such a great turnout and a haul of 71 bags on the first pick we have proved an important point to ourselves. It looks like this group is here to stay”.
Tony Dixon, on behalf of the Howley Litter Group added: “More local litter picks will follow and more volunteers are going to be needed from both Howley and Fairfield to continue and expand the process.”
*Warrington Worldwide is proud to have made The Litter Networks one of our Legacy projects with a £500 grant.
