Council funds clean up in Hednesford

Hednesford Town Council is supporting volunteers who are continuing to clean up the town after money from a community grant backed by two local councillors paid for vital tools.

The Heart of Hednesford group have been collecting litter and sprucing up problem areas in support of Hednesford in Partnership’s Best Kept Urban Village competition entry as well as leading calls for more action on keeping the town tidy at all times.
Now, thanks to a £774 grant from Staffordshire County Council, backed by councillors Bryan Jones and Phil Hewitt, they’ve been able to buy two battery operated vacuum cleaners.
The public-spirited volunteers were out in force as part of a ‘Spring clean up’ weekend last month and are set to hit the streets again on Sunday, May 20.
David Wisehall from Heart of Hednesford said: “We’ve had a brilliant turnout for our ‘Spring Clean’ of Hednesford in support of Hednesford in Partnership’s Best Kept Urban Village competition entry.
“We had a very creditable Highly Commended last year so I’m sure we can go one better this year.
“Our new battery vacuum cleaners were brilliant at getting up the cigarette butts. These were purchased by Heart of Hednesford courtesy of funding from the Staffordshire Local Community Fund from our two county councillors, Bryan Jones and Phil Hewitt – to whom we are very grateful.
“Cigarette butts are a major litter problem in town especially at the bus stops and taxi-rank. I’d like to say to smokers that they should think twice and make less of a mess by binning the butts.
“In just a couple of hours, we collected a mountain of rubbish from the station and around town that had been thrown on the floor, over hedges, behind the platforms on the station, in fact everywhere instead of in the bins or, even better, people taking it home with you and recycling.
“We’d love to encourage more pride in our town, not just in the run up to the Best Kept competition but in general, it doesn’t take much effort and has a massive impact.”
Anyone wishing to join the next litter pick should meet on Sunday, May 20 at the station entrance in Anglesey Street car park at 10 am.