FOR many seven-year-olds, toys will have been on their Christmas wishlist – but Lily from Denton asked Santa for a litter picker.
With it, the Greswell Primary School pupil has been spending her holidays cleaning up rubbish in her local area.
She has been taking action after becoming concerned about the amount of rubbish she noticed on her walk home from school.
Rather than ignoring the problem, Lily decided she wanted to help make a difference.
She is a member of her school’s Eco Committee, where pupils learn about caring for the environment and reducing waste.
Keen to take those lessons beyond the classroom, she asked for a litter picker for Christmas – and quickly put it to good use.
During the school holidays, Lily spent time clearing rubbish from local streets and parks around Denton, proudly collecting litter and helping to make the area cleaner for residents and wildlife alike.
Her mum, Amanda Kent, said Lily doesn’t see litter-picking as a task, but as something meaningful.
She told The Correspondent: “She doesn’t see it as a chore, but as something important she can do to help wildlife, the environment and her community. We’re incredibly proud of her enthusiasm and determination at such a young age.”
The family hopes Lily’s efforts will inspire others to take small steps to care for their local environment.