Deeside based community group collects 100 bags of waste in one litter pick over the weekend

A Deeside-based litter picking group took to the streets over the weekend to clean a piece of land in the community. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‘Litter picking for Deeside’ formed as a group on Facebook last month after co-founder Vivien Jones was “really saddened” with the amount of litter she saw on her daily walk. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

As of now, the group has grown to include over 420 members just shy of a month after they set up on 6 February – with support from Flintshire County Council and local councillors. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Exactly a month afterwards – on Saturday, 6 March – the group took to cleaning up the land behind Asda in Queensferry where they picked up litter on the embankment and along the path. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Approximately 100 bags were collected, says admin Andy MOG James – who coordinated the event with social distancing measures abided by “a small group of dedicated folk”. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “This was a huge effort from a small group of dedicated folk who took on what looked like the impossible – was that embarrassing mess really in our community? ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Well, as you can see, it has transformed but you cannot see that it is perhaps just over 50% done. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We adhered to social distancing rules and, without excuse, got stuck in and filled bags with glass, plastic and cans plus some general refuse – all supported by Streescene who are taking it away for recycling. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“If more like-minded folk want to finish the job and get stuck in – there are still hundreds of bottles in the bracken on the bank. Sturdy shoes, trousers and gloves are needed to do that. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“If several folk take hard brushes and dustpans, then clearing the massive volume of smashed glass around that area would be amazing too.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Before and After pictures depicting the land’s transformation following the litter pick ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Full support for the litter pick was obtained from Flintshire County Council and Councillor Carolyn Thomas, who is a Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Countryside. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Streetscene is a Council service designed to give residents a contact to report problems which affect the community such as litter, dog fouling, recycling, faulty streetlights and more. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The land behind Asda is used as a cut-through by people walking from Queensferry to Higher Shotton and is owned by Asda themselves, but was put up for sale a number of years ago. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I hope that the local community now continues to enhance this area, it has potential for sure,” said Andy. “There’s more work to do but this is a huge step forward and an enabler for the future of this space.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Join the ‘Litter picking for Deeside’ Facebook group today by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/229609572164437. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

— ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Jordan Adams ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Pictured above is Andy MOG James, who also provided the other images on display. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Latest News