These school children from Lynemouth did a great job tidying up their village this week.
The children from Years 4, 5 and 6 pupils from Northumberland Church of England Academy put on hi-vis jackets and protective gloves, and filled several bin liners brimful of litter from the area surround the school.
Some of the more unusual items they found included a rusty old pot, and an abandoned bag with a very unusual smell!
The litter pick took place after housing association Isos Housing, which owns and manages over 180 homes in the village, was approached by the local parish council after members noticed some litter issues on Isos land in the village.
Rather than just deal with the symptom of the problem, localism officer Lewis Rimington and community involvement officer Mel Rees decided to visit the school to talk to the children.
They spoke about the dangers of litter, problems like dog mess not being cleaned up – but also how everyone in the community can help keep their area clean.
Then a group of 20 children went out into the village with Lewis and Mel to clear litter.
Isos provided the hi-vis clothing while the landlord’s grounds maintenance contractor Ground Control invested in new litter pickers for the occasion.
Lewis said: “We’ve been so impressed by the enthusiasm of the children here, and how they’ve really got involved in the clean up. We’re now hoping to come back for another session in the next few weeks.
“We’re always keen to get involved with the communities where Isos manages homes. We know we have a responsibility as a major stakeholder in Lynemouth to help improve the village, and we know that tidying grass verges and other public areas can really help to improve the look and feel of the village.”
Mel added: “The kids were all fab, everyone chipped in and really wanted to make a difference to their community. There was even some singing on the way back to the school!”
Mrs Helen Sample, head of campus at The Northumberland C of E Academy in Lynemouth said: “This was a vital opportunity for the children of William Leech Campus to show how much they care about their village. The children thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon and I know they are looking forward to Mel and Lewis coming back soon.”