We’ve been on our first Litter Pick! Through our local Facebook group, Love Horfield, a young woman asked if anyone wanted to join her in a local litter pick. It seemed like quite a few people were going and we signed up.
In the hope that we would do this more than once we even invested in our own litter pickers. Actually they were called Senior Reaching Tools but we may gloss over that. They came from Home Bargains and cost a mind-boggling £1.29 each! They did a perfectly good job with the litter.
So we met with the others and sorted out our bags. Helen had contacted Bristol Waste who provided bags and rings which keep the bags open making it easier to put the litter in. They had also arranged for the bags to be collected from her drive later the same day.
We were the only oldies amongst a group of young families – fantastic to see the little ones being shown such a great example. We went off in pairs or small groups to designated roads. Colin and I filled 2 bags – one with rubbish and one with recycling. The recycling one became heavy very quickly as we found a load of glass bottles in the entrance to a back lane. I particularly enjoyed wearing the orange jacket.
Not quite as many participants as I expected!
We even got some ‘thank yous’ from passers-by and encouraging toots from car drivers.
We worked for an hour and altogether 7 bags were collected – quite shocking. It was a great feeling to be able to help but such a shame that it’s needed. It was good exercise for me and I was exhausted afterwards.
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I would encourage anyone who is interested in this to organise a litter pick, or go to one arranged in their community. Local authorities are usually very grateful and will support where they can. As well as doing some good, getting some exercise and feeling a bit smug, it’s a great way to meet people. Win-win I’d say!
I am a woman of a certain age (not 60 yet!) who lives in Bristol. I’ve lived almost my whole life in Bristol, with a short sojourn in Cornwall in my teens. I am trying to lead my life in an ethical way in all areas and hope to explore what this means.
I have four passions and several interests so I hope I will have plenty to write about. My passions are my family, knitting, cricket and St Peter’s Hospice. My other interests are volunteering, the environment, reading, TV, films & theatre, fundraising, chronic fatigue, mental health and eating. My non-interests are animals, housework, football, rugby and cooking.
I come from a family of four – two sisters and a brother. Our parents dies a few years ago. I am married to my soulmate Colin, an amazing man who tolerates my funny ways and supports me in everything I do. We have three children and two wonderful granddaughters. I am so proud of my family – we must have done something right as they are all good people. I have two sons-in-law who I love like my own and together we all make up a family unit where everyone loves and respects everyone else.
I am a total hypochondriac but do have some genuine problems, some of which I may talk about at a later date. At the moment I am overweight and have just started to eat more healthily, which I think is the answer to weight loss. We were on holiday last week and enjoyed puddings and cakes every day.
I work part-time and Colin is recently retired. This means that we have been able to spend much more time together doing some of the things we’ve been meaning to do – some planned and some spontaneous. I love this period of my life – I just wish I had the energy to match the time and the opportunities available!
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Ethical Knitting Nana 