Middlewich Clean Team Celebrates Donation From Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund

Middlewich Clean Team Press Release - 11/12/13

Middlewich Clean Team is celebrating after receiving a £300 donation from the GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund.

The volunteer group was set up more than ten years ago to help keep Middlewich clean and tidy. Today it has more than 200 members who not only litter pick but also take part in environmental projects such as bulb planting. Additionally, members of the group travel around the country to help other towns set up similar initiatives.

Stephen Dent, Vice Chairman says: “This donation from the GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund couldn’t have come at a better time. With the mornings and evenings grow darker one of our biggest needs is to provide our volunteers with safety equipment.

“With this donation we can now afford to purchase high visibility coats to keep our members safe.”

GALAXY Hot Chocolate is looking to help small, local community groups and charities across the UK and Ireland by donating cash awards to support warm hearted people and projects.

Open for entries until February 23 2014, the Fund will distribute five £300 awards to deserving recipients every week.

Michelle Frost, spokeswoman for GALAXY Hot Chocolate said yesterday: “There are thousands of warm hearted people and organisations that go out of their way to help their local community day in day out. The GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund aims to support their work and hopefully inspire more people to get involved with local community groups.”

Applications to the fund can be made on the GALAXY Hot Chocolate website www.galaxyhotchocolate.com.

GALAXY hot chocolate offers the smooth creamy taste of GALAXY chocolate in a heart-warming drink.

-ends-

Note to Editors: Photographs of this event are below:
   

Contact: Stephen Dent 01606 834575 or 07710 288824

Litter Pick Celebrating Galaxy Hot Chocolate £300 Donation

Photo: Middlewich Guardian

Our Galaxy Hot Chocolate litter pick celebrating the £300 donation from Galaxy towards the cost of new equipment. We all enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate and mince pies provided by Janet. Full details about the donation appear in our press release “MIDDLEWICH CLEAN TEAM CELEBRATES DONATION FROM THE GALAXY HOT CHOCOLATE FUND“

Autumn News Round-Up

Bulb Planting - Making Our Town A Nice Place To Be

In keeping with our motto "Love Your Town Keep It Tidy" the Middlewich Clean Team believes that a little effort makes a big difference. So we have got together with lots of others to makes an effort to make a big difference next spring when daffodil bulbs we have planted bloom. We had two teams at work, one in Croxton Lane the other in Booth Lane.

In Croxton Lane Steve Morris brought along an auger to prepare the planting holes then Brownies, Scout Cubs and MCT volunteers took no time at all to plant the bulbs despite a few light showers of rain. Of course our Mayor, Bernice Walmsley, attended and even had a try of the auger herself, which raised a few smiles and then together with her consort and husband Bill helped to distribute the bulbs to our eager helpers.

Meanwhile down Booth Lane, Maxine lead a team bulb planting by Peter's memorial plaque assisted by the MCC. Athough they didn't have the luxury of Steve's auger they still made short work work of the job knowing that in spring a floral memorial will bloom and also contribute to a welcoming sight for people entering Middlewich from the Sandbach direction.

If you would like to see the full set of photographs from the day, they are in our 2013 Photo Archive. This season's bulb planting sees all major routes into Middlewich prepared for a glowing welcome of yellow flowers next spring.

Photo: Fiona Bruce

Booth Lane Skate Park
Middlewich Clean Team were at the official opening of the Booth Lane Skate park in October. The ribbon cutting ceremony was led by the Town Mayor Bernice Walmsley and local MP Fiona Bruce. Fiona has kindly forwarded this photograph of Clean Team members at the occasion.

The Veolia Environmental Trust awarded Middlewich Vision a grant of £37,160 towards replacing the existing equipment on Booth Lane. The Veolia Environmental Trust award grants to community and environmental projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.
It is a fantastic facility for our young people, our task is to encourage everyone to use the bins! 

Photo: Bill Walmsley

Tesco Bag Pack
Middlewich Clean Team surprised shoppers at Tesco with the offer of bag packing on 21st September. Having the town Mayor, Bernice Walmsley, pack your shopping for you might indeed be something of a surprise, however Bernice is a very active member of the Middlewich Clean Team committee so naturally she joined in with everyone else. We raised almost £200 which contributed the purchasing of bulbs for the autumn bulb planting and hi-viz equipment.

Photo: Jannine Rogers

And Finally
News has just reached us of a role reversal where a dog, "Dotty", is picking up the mess left by humans, often picking up discarded bottles along the canal and taking them home. The dog's owner, Jannine Rogers, adapted a Middlewich Clean Team tabbard and commented, "I have since made alterations so it fits her - she makes a fabulous honorary member of the Clean Team, wish all dog owners made the effort in Middlewich". It would be nice if humans took a lead from this cannine example and stopped to paws for thought instead of making a mess in our town.

The Middlewich Clean Team is a voluntary group with a vision to develop and promote a culture of pride in the town and the community by working towards a litter free town and a pleasant environment for all to live in. We are a positive, forward thinking group who are prepared to work hard to achieve our aims.

As well as organising litter picks, we also encourage and support individuals to help us in whatever way they can, whether by picking litter in their immediate area, joining group litter picks or by highlighting problem areas.
Anyone can help us and if you would like to know more you can find out how to contact us here

Photos: Ian Philip Jones unless credited otherwise. 

MCT Promotes Pride Amongst Youngsters

On 2nd July 2013 Maxine & Janet, committee members of the Middlewich Clean Team, along with Joan Williams attended the Middlewich Cub’s Tuesday night group. 

 

After an introduction by the Clean Team a litter pick was held along Road Beta and they all even managed to dodge the rain to collect 4 bags of litter. The Cubs hard efforts were rewarded with a Clean Team Pen.

The Middlewich Clean Team is a voluntary group with a vision to develop and promote a culture of pride in the town and the community by working towards a litter free town and a pleasant environment for all to live in. We are a positive, forward thinking group who are prepared to work hard to achieve our aims. Visiting and involving groups like Cubs is an important part of our work in promoting the culture of pride in the town at a very young age.

As well as organising litter picks, we also encourage and support individuals to help us in whatever way they can, whether by picking litter in their immediate area, joining group litter picks or by highlighting problem areas.

Anyone can help us and if you would like to know more you can find out how to contact us here

Best Ever Community Planting

The Middlewich Clean Team held their annual flower planting at St. Michael’s and All Angels church yard in the evening of Tuesday 4th June . It is a real community event now well fixed into the annual Clean Team calendar.

Over sixty volunteers enjoyed the sunny evening to plant bedding plants in the borders and flower beds of the churchyard. Middlewich Clean Team volunteers had organised more than sunshine though and members of the Cubs, Brownies, Sea Cadets and the Boys Brigade were all kept busy planning and made an excellent job of it.

Middlewich Town Mayor and Clean Team Committee member Bernice Walmsley, attended the proceedings and commented that, “It was great to see the community coming together on a beautiful evening to help the town. The churchyard looks beautiful and all these young people from the community groups have played their parts.”

Middlewich Clean Team took the opportunity to present awards to Cubs who had designed posters for the Clean Team’s 10th anniversary. Ollie Egerton and Rebecca Davies of the Middlewich Tuesday Cubs and Oliver Jones and Antonia Gilmore from the Middlewich Thursday Cubs received awards which were presented by the Mayor, she said, “The posters designed by the Cubs were very well done – there’s some real talent in our youth groups in Middlewich and it was a privilege for me to be asked to present the awards”.

The plants were sponsored by Middlewich Town Council, Middlewich Southway Tesco and Cheshire East Council and Refreshments were served by the Mother’s Union.

Janet Chisholm, our Chairperson and founder of the Middlewich Clean Team, says a big thank you to all of the volunteers and organisations who turned out for the ‘brilliant’ evening and said that it was the best organised planting the team have had yet.

There are additional photographs from the community planting evening in our 2013 photo archive.

2nd Middlewich Scout Group Litter Pick

We had a well attended litter pick on Saturday 13th April 2013; six MCT members, twelve 2nd Middlewich Scout Group Thursday night cubs and two leaders. For safety reasons we picked Tesco car park and the park.

Twelve little boys with litter pickers is something to behold...one of them found a ten pound note!!! which they donated to the clean team, but which we decided to donate back to the cubs for treats.

Middlewich Clean Team Is 10 Years Old

Middlewich Clean Team was founded in 2013 by Janet Chisholm when she recruited a voluntary group of over 200 Middlewich residents who came together with a vision to develop and promote a culture of pride in the town and the community. Since those early days the Middlewich Clean Team has been prolific in encouraging and contributing to making Middlewich a more pleasant place to be.  As well as organising litter picks, we have encouraged and supported individuals to help us in whatever way they can, whether by picking litter in their immediate area, joining group litter picks or by highlighting problem areas. We have worked with many groups and organisations, including the Middlewich Town Council, the Cheshire East Council, British Waterways, Middlewich schools, Middlewich businesses, Middlewich Guardian and Middlewich residents.

We have helped Clean Teams to set up in other towns and our work has been featured in newspapers, radio and television programmes. We do not seek praise but we are proud of the commendations & awards we have received.

We have achieved a great deal but there is more that can be done and so our mission remains the same, “The vision of the Middlewich Clean Team is to develop and promote a culture of pride in the town and community by working towards a litter free town and a pleasant environment for all to live in.”

Our thanks go to all that have participated and supported us, in fact to everyone that has in some way contributed to supporting our motto, “Love your town, keep it tidy”.

Middlewich Clean Team Is 10 Years Old Photo Album

Youngters Learn With Crocodile Pickers

Clean Team members Hilary Jones and Carol Eccles visited several nurseries in Middlewich on 12th February 2013.

Encouraging young children to help to keep their town tidy and to have pride in their town is an important annual Middlewich Clean Team activity. The children sang a song about the importance of putting litter in a bin and then were given the chance to try litter picking for themselves using junior crocodile litter pickers. A Middlewich Clean Team sticker is awarded for their participation.  Hilary explained, "The idea is to sow the seed that litter does actually belong in the bin and to encourage young ones to do so, hopefully forever".

Photo Courtesy of Middlewich Guardian

Clean Team Finds A Mouthful

Photo Courtesy of Middlewich Guardian

Litterpicking with the Middlewich Clean Team is never boring! Apart from it being a pleasant walk with a purpose and a chance to catch up with friends, or make new ones, you just never know what you might find. On Saturday 9th February the team were in action in Holmes Chapel Road and Brooks Lane when they were astonished to find a set of false teeth during a town tidy-up. “It was so funny,” said Clean team founder Janet Chisholm, “We were holding them up with the litter pickers and falling about with laughter, We’ve found some things over the years like glasses and underwear but never false teeth. I can only assume someone’s been sick after a night out and they fell out.” In a strange twist, the Clean Team found the teeth just months after they found some denture glue. Janet added: “We take seriously keeping our streets tidy but it just shows there’s a humourous side to what we do.” They were in perfect condition but have not been claimed despite newspaper coverage! If the false teeth belong to you then please contact us.

A Blackberry phone was also found on this same litterpick. Vice chairman Stephen Dent said: “I have managed to return it to its very grateful owner who had travelled to Middlewich from Bolton on Friday night and dropped it in the Seabank car park.”

Middlewich Tesco Store Supports the Clean Team

The Tesco Store in Middlewich is yet again proving to be a staunch supporter of the Middlewich Clean Team.

On Monday, 28th January 2013, Store Manager David Moss presented the Team with a cheque for £500. The presentation was attended by Clean Team representatives Janet Chisholm (Chairperson), Stephen Dent (Vice-Chairman), Bernice Walmsley and Darren Ketley.

The money will enable the Clean Team to pay for the plants and bulbs associated with the annual planting of St Michael and All Angel’s Churchyard and the autumn community bulb planting event. Tesco has also agreed to allow the Clean Team to hold displays in the store entrance and to undertake a bag pack on 14th September 2013. MANY THANKS TESCO

Interview: Well deserved royal honour for founder of Middlewich Clean Team

by David Morgan

WHEN Janet Chisholm had the brainwave for Middlewich Clean Team all she wanted to do was stop teenagers dropping litter outside her shop.

A decade on, little did the mother-of-two know that she would inspire hundreds of people and be recognised with a royal honour. Janet, of Brooks Lane, has been named in the New Year Honours List for services to the community and will pick up her British Empire Medal at a ceremony in Chester later this year. The Clean Team’s founder has also been invited to a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Janet, who has been married to Ken for 46 years, found out about the honour in November but was sworn to secrecy. She said: “I couldn’t speak to anybody about it apart from my husband which was difficult because I was so excited. “This is fantastic for the Clean Team as it’s a huge recognition for the group. “Many of our members have been there right from the start. There’s no way I could have achieved all this without them. “I do love Middlewich with a passion and I want the best for us and if that means picking up litter and encouraging other people not to drop litter I will continue to do it.”

The idea for the Clean Team began when Janet became fed up with youngsters throwing sweet wrappers outside Chisholm’s newsagents in Wheelock Street. So she attached a bin to her wall with a poster above it which read: ‘Make Janet happy – use the bin’. Friends and community leaders were inspired by Janet’s stand which led to 5 {ed} people gathering around her dining table to pledge their support for a new group. The army of litter pickers now number more than 200 and the team celebrate their 10th anniversary in March.

Janet, a member of Middlewich Community Pride, added: “In the beginning I was trying to sort out a problem on my doorstep. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be getting a British Empire Medal. “It’s very rewarding and exciting that other people feel the same way as me. “It might not seem very much to just look after the area around your street but multiply that by 200 and it makes a huge difference.”

In 10 years, Janet’s group has also helped set up clean teams in Sandbach and Crewe, has been in talks with community leaders in Winsford and Knutsford and has a meeting in Nantwich this month. Janet said: “One of our dreams was that we would start this and then roll it out across the country. “We want every town and village to take responsibility for their communities.”

---

MIDDLEWICH’S community leaders have praised Janet Chisholm for her royal honour. Fiona Bruce MP said: “Janet gives her heart and soul to the Middlewich community at grassroots level. “She is just the kind of person the Honours system should be there for and I extend my warmest congratulations to her on this richly deserved award.“ Deputy mayor Bernice Walmsley, Clean Team committee member, added: “Everyone in the Clean Team is so proud. “In Middlewich we've always known Janet is something special and now the whole country knows. “It's often been said she deserves a medal and now she's got one. We're so pleased.” 

Article reproduced by kind permision of the Middlewich Guardian

New Year Litter Picks Underway

Unfortunately there's no end to the litter that's left around and so the New Year soon saw more litter picks underway. On this occasion we started at the Turnpike and collected all this rubbish in just one hour. The help of two new members Graham and Kate Warner really made a difference to the workload.