The Lord Mayor of Sheffield was amongst Broomhill residents who got involved in the area’s first community litter pick today.
Magid Magid, who is currently Green Party councillor for Broomhill and Sharrow Vale, helped other volunteers pick litter along Fulwood Road.
Coun Kaltum Rivers, also from the Green Party, was also among those in attendance.
The event is part of a wider initiative launched in the city this year by Sheffield Litter Pickers, in association with Keep Britain Tidy.
Its aim was to encourage residents to take positive community action in order to tackle littering and fly tipping.
Magid expressed his hope the movement would inspire others to get motivated to keep their streets clean.
He said: “It just takes a few people to keep an eye on their area. And if everybody did that, just imagine.”
Residents gathered at Broomhill Community Library where they were given plastic bags for recycling and general waste.
Ruth Thompson, 68, a lifelong resident of Broomhill, said she had seen a marked increase in the amount of rubbish left in the area over the years, something that had left many disappointed in the state of their streets.
She was impressed the mayor had put in an appearance.
She said: “He’s a busy man so it’s nice that he’s found the time to come down.
“He’s obviously not worried about getting his hands dirty and mucking in.”
Sheffield Litter Pickers was first formed in 2015, after council budget cuts meant bin collections were reduced from every week to every fortnight.
The group currently has over 900 members on their Facebook page, and are very active across social media platforms.
Since September, they have held a number of litter picks across the S10 postcode, which have largely been well attended.
Geraldine Houghton, 55, ambassador for Sheffield Litter Pickers said: “At the end of the day this is our city. This is my home, my community and I don’t expect anyone to come and clean it up.
“I don’t expect there to be litter in the first place but if there is, I’m prepared to do what I have to, and hopefully others feel the same.”
The volunteer group intend to continue their work in the future, building a network of groups across the city, and educating people on environmental issues.
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