THE efforts by Wilmslow Clean Team volunteers takes on added significance from Monday, Feb 29 and Sunday, March 6, with a week of events centred around giving the town a winter clean up.

The team, which was set up by civic minded volunteers in October 2013, fed up with uncaring youngsters and townspeople dropping litter all over the place, they set out their own communal credentials to lead by example.

With more than 1,200 bags of litter cleared from the streets of the town team volunteer Stuart Redgard said : "The week of community litter picking events are being planned to take place in different parts of the town at different times of the day.

"The spring clean week is now in its third year after originally being started by Wilmslow Town Council, and has for the past two years been supported by them."

The clean team is made up of about 30 volunteers co-ordinated by a committee of eight people.

The team was recently nominated as one of the three organisations to benefit from shares of £1,000 by a Waitrose “Community Matters” grant. Shoppers are encouraged to determine the most deserving organisation by a token system. Last October the group received a cheque from Waitrose for £540 through the same scheme.

Mr Redgard added: "We are a group of volunteers who help keep Wilmslow tidy by organising litter picking events twice a month.

"We set our own priorities and are independent of the local councils and we encourage people to take responsibility for their environment.

"We also aim to get local businesses to support us (e.g. funding for litter picking equipment, assisting with litter picking events etc.,"

Anybody who would like to volunteer can check out litter picking events http://wilmslowcleanteam.org.uk.

Dirty street in Wilmslow December 2013

Dirty street in Wilmslow December 2013

This photo shows the kind of thing that we are tackling – i.e. the irresponsible behaviour of a minority who think that it is acceptable to use the street as a bin. We believe that we are making a difference and that Wilmslow is becoming a nicer place to live in over time.

We are always on the lookout for new volunteers. We provide all the equipment, insurance and training. Please check the Volunteer page if you can spare some time to help us.