A local champion of keeping Morecambe tidy is calling on residents to join in a spring clean of the local area.
Kevin Smith has been pulling out weeds and binning the litter by his Primrose Street home in Morecambe for the past five years.
Community groups across the district will be pooling their cleaning efforts between March 25 and April 10, as part of Keep Britain Tidy’s annual Great British Spring Clean.
“It makes it a nice place to be”, says Kevin, who was first spurred into sprucing up the alleyways so he could play football with his son, also called Kevin.
“I wanted to make it clean so there was no dog dirt, broken glass or rubbish, to make it a better place to live and so that me and my son could play football down there.
“It makes the neighbours happy, they appreciate it, which is nice and the thanks is better than being paid!
“The council are doing their bit to keep the area clean, but everyone has a responsibility, and we should all take pride in our community.”
He believes that people are more likely to drop litter in already littered or unkempt areas and so urged others to get out into their community and do what they can – from picking up a few plastic bottles off the kerb side to pulling out a few weeds.
“Just five minutes every now and then makes a lot of difference, and it’s nice as it gets you out talking to your neighbours too,” said Kevin.
The Great British Spring Clean is being supported by Lancaster City Council, which is encouraging people to take part by attending a group clean or pledging to do their own litter pick.
Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “We are calling upon our community - be heroes to help improve the precious environment on our doorsteps, because every act to protect the environment, no matter how small, makes a difference.
“Mr Smith has done an amazing job giving up his time over the past five years to enhance his local community and we applaud his efforts, and that of those other people across the district who are doing their bit too.
“During the Great British Spring Clean, we are urging more people to get involved whether it is picking up a few pieces of rubbish on their way to work or while walking on the beach to taking part in organised group events.”
A community litter pick will take place starting from Morecambe’s Alexandra Park on March 26 between 11am and 2pm.
Friends of Dorrington Woods will host one on April 2 between 2pm and 4pm and The Friends of Ryelands Park will host one on April 10, meeting at 1.30pm.
The Arndale Centre is also organising a Beach Clean on Monday, March 28, meeting at The Battery car park at 11am.
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