Tullochs Private Hire Sponsors MCT

"We are proud sponsors of the Middlewich Clean Team" - Tullochs Private Hire

Dave Tulloch has decided to sponsor MCT by providing equipmenet such a MCT high visibility vests and placing a prominent logo on his web site. We are grateful for this valuable assistance.

Dave business is a family run company based in Middlewich, Cheshire and offers a bespoke private car hire service designed to meet the needs of all customers. All of the drivers are courteous and professional at all times and qualified to NVQ level 2 standard in road passenger vehicle driving. If you would like to know more about Tullochs Private hire the you can visit their web site at www.tullochsprivatehire.co.uk or give the company a call on 01606 530770

Litter Pick - Nelson Family

The Nelson girls with some of the litter they collected.

Becca Nelson and her three daughters were keen get involved in litter picking with the Middlewich Clean Team and so they provided some child-sized litter pickers. Becca said, "The girls and I are really looking forward to getting involved with the clean team. We have a couple of litter pick sticks (adult size) and have been doing some litter picking along the canal for a little while. This will mean that the three girls don't have to take it in turns".

So, suitably equipped the very next day was a very busy one. Becca resumes here story, "The girls and I went out down King Street, the little green on New king Street and Harbutts Field today and collected about a big binbag's worth of litter. The girls were keen to go back again and collect some more tomorrow, as we only covered a bit of Harbutts Field before we were getting arm ache from carrying the bags (lots of glass bottles)". 

Well Becca and her children certainly set to it there and with such a large collection of litter, especially all those carelessly discarded bottles, she found there were some problems leading Becca tro ask, "Do members of the clean team who do a regular litter pick in the area where they live get any help with disposal of the litter? I'm just thinking it will take up quite a bit of space in our wheelybin, on top of the waste we produce at home (there are 5 of us!!). I know we could separate it out and recycle it but some of it is very dirty and a lot of the glass was broken so I'm not that keen". Indeed we do get a lot of help from the Streetscape Team, its now an established relationship that works very well. Commitee member Maxine Wrench explains, "As for glass bottles etc - yes its hard work to recycle & we do not actively do it unless we are picking in a group usually after an organised function such as the Bonfire Night at the Cricket Club. Most of our members use the green bags which you can get from Chisholm’s newsagents ( these are free & supplied by Cheshire East) just ask if you go in the shop. These can then be left by any public bin & they will be collected by the Streetscape Team. There is a bin by the Big Lock pub , but I admit in King Street I can’t think of any !! - but if you are picking on Harbutts field let me know & leave your bags in a pile by the gate & I’ll email Streetscape to collect on their rounds."

It's great to have Becca's family enthusiasm she and her family will be a great asset to MCT.

Recruits Sought to join Home Office's top 'Clean Team'

The Team's latest recruit, Jackie Andrew, with other members (Photo: Middlewich Guardian)

An army of volunteers who won a Home Office award for making a stand in the community is appealing for new recruits. Middlewich Clean Team is celebrating it's eighth year in the town and now has more than 100 members including Fiona Bruce, MP, but founder, Janet Chisholm, wants to encourage people who have recently moved to the area or not experienced the group, give it a try.

Volunteers meet twice a month on Saturday and Monday to pick litter, while others prefer to work on their own or with neighbours to look after their street."Some people just like to take pride in their own area," said Janet of Brooks Lane. "We feel that contributes highly to our success." But the Clean Team also keeps an eye on the town. They work with Cheshire East Council's Streetscape to report incidents like fly-tipping and have a partnership with the police as 'community crime fighters'. Six regular members also have St. John Ambulance First Aid training so they are prepared if they are first on the scene in an emergency.

Janet added:"Streetscape describes us as the eyes and ears of Middlewich. "This is a really positive group with the aim and desire to have a clean and tidy town - we feel we are winning the battle. "Friendships have grown over the years. It's very sociable. "One member has just had an operation and every day, he's walking and litter picking. So he's gaining two things - pride and the health benefits. We're always looking for new members and it doesn't have to take a lot of time - five minutes twice a week to keep your neighbourhood clean and tidy."

The group has already inspired new clean teams in Sandbach and Warrington, and volunteers will be speaking to Winsford Town Council in April. Janet Even met a man who wanted to set up a clean team in France. "If anyone wants to set up a clean team, we're happy to help." she said.

Volunteers also visit nurseries in Middlewich and regularly talk to the schools. Janet added: "It's nice to speak to people we've seen grow through the years into responsible citizens.

For information on how to join, call Janet on 836263 or visit our home page.

 

Article reproduced by kind permission of the Middlewich Guardian.

Middlewich High School Makes a Difference

Due to complaints from local residents living close to Beech Street in Middlewich concerning anti social behaviour & littering around Tesco Car Park, Middlewich High School decided to ‘make a difference’.

 

Middlewich High School are linked as a Community Partner to the Middlewich Clean Team and we have close links with the school. So this group of Youngsters along with the Headmaster Mr Martin Forster, Miss Capps and Mrs Guildford gave up part of their lunch break to pick litter after complaints from local residents. Twenty minutes later the area looked respectable again. 

The Clean Team appreciate that this does not necessarily mean that the problem will go away, but we feel that this is a positive step from the High School who I feel have reacted to public opinion in a very positive way.

Award for bench in memory of Katy

Stephen Dent, assistant town clerk, Clean Team member Maxine Wrench, Clean Team founder Janet Chisholm and Town Mayor Mike Parsons with the certificate.

A Memorial bench and garden dedicated to a Clean Team member who died in a road accident has won a community accolade. Middlewich won a Little Gem award at the Community Pride competition at Nantwich Civic Hall for 'Katy's Wall'.

Katy Lee died in a road accident in 2004 and members of Middlewich Clean Team wanted to pay tribute to her. So a wall between Middlewich Library, in Lewin Street, and Jennie Edwards Curtain Specialist, in Hightown, was transformed into a garden and bench. Janet Chisholm, founder of the Clean Team, said: "I feel so proud for this recognition and would like to thank Di and Chris for looking after the memorial garden so well."

The Little Gem award is a new category at the Community Pride competition. "It recognises the work of volunteers who look after their environment."

Your Town Needs Litter Pickers

The Clean team knows the importance of it's members working together. Photo: Middlewich Guardian

Middlewich Clean Team has put up posters around town to protect its "most important asset" - its members. The A4 notices have been posted on bins and are an adaption of a wartime advertising campaign to fit in with the forthcoming Second World War festival.

Maxine Wrench, one of the founding members of the Clean Team, said; "We would like to thank all our members for their continued support to help keep Middlewich litter free. The committee is very aware that our members are our most important asset. We are in our eighth year and are as committed as in the beginning".

 

Article reproduced by kind permission of the Middlewich Guardian.

Bizzie Lizzies 2010

Bizzie Lizzies planted on 25 May 2010 after they had bedded in.

Photos: Ian Jones