A GROUP of community-minded volunteers are looking for new faces to join their mission to clean up their Tameside town.
Mossley Litter Bugs organise litter picks all year round, taking to the area’s streets most weeks to tackle grot spots at the request of members.
The voluntary group also encourages residents to ‘adopt’ their road or a regular walking route by picking up even just a few pieces of litter on a regular basis – which can make a huge difference.
The Litter Bugs receive funding from Mossley Town Council, local charities and businesses to ensure a supply of litter pickers and bags. They have also been treated to coffee and cake locally, which is always welcome.
Recently, 20 volunteers made up of Mossley Litter Bugs and local residents donned gloves and tackled a well-known ‘grot spot’.
The team spent an hour and a half filling around 50 bags of rubbish around Grove Road and Printworks Road – which is often targeted for fly-tipping and repeated littering.
A spokesperson for Mossley Litter Bugs added: “In some places, the litter was around a foot deep, mostly drink cans and obviously from the same people over a long period of time.
“There were also some more unusual finds… a positive pregnancy test, a stash of marbles and a wallet full of ID. Mossley Litter Bugs will work with local residents to set a date for a return trip as the pick really just scratched the surface of the ‘Heyrod Hellhole’.”
A long-serving volunteer is local councillor Tafheen Sharif, who liaises with Tameside Council to ensure that all volunteer-filled bags are collected and not reported as fly-tipping.
Cllr Sharif, who is also the outgoing Civic Mayor of Tameside, says it’s really important for councillors to be engaged with such local voluntary groups.
She said: “It is a privilege for me to be a part of Mossley Litter Bugs from the outset and contribute to where I can. I thank the volunteers for their contribution to Mossley week in, week out.”
Anyone who wants more information about Mossley Litter Bugs or would like to join can visit their Facebook group for updates.
For litter picks, all equipment is provided but people are asked to bring suitable footwear and gloves.