LITTER in hedgerows, laybys and gutters – local resident Alan Corbett has picked it all up.
But now the Webheath resident is calling on everyone else to show a bit more respect for their home town and not dump litter.
“I do think it’s getting worse, almost epidemic proportions in some places,” said the married 71-year-old.
Alan started on his litter picking mission five years ago after suffering a stroke.
A keen dog walker, when his four legged friend passed away he decided to keep on walking for fitness and started to collect all the rubbish he saw discarded by the roadside.
“Most of it is fast food wrappers and cartons – sometimes it’s dumped just yards from a bin too – it’s everywhere,” he said.
“There’s all this concern about the rubbish and plastic being dumped in the oceans, but don’t forget the dry land, that needs caring for too.
“Why can’t people drop their litter in the proper bins instead of throwing it out the window?”
Alan, also volunteers for stroke and dementia charities and a typical walk will see the big hearted citizen collect four or five bags of rubbish, all picked up from the roadside.
“I stopped to thank one of the litter pickers from the council the other day, just to tell him he was doing a good job, and he couldn’t get over it,” said Alan.
Anyone wanting to help clean up their community by organising a litter pick can borrow tabards and grab sticks from the borough council.
Just call the environment department on 01527 881188.
