Natland Spring Litter Hunt 2016

The eleventh Spring Litter Hunt since the Natland Parish Plan of 2004 proposed its re-introduction took place on Saturday 19 March 2015.  After a dry and mainly sunny week, the day was cloudy but fine with a light breeze - ideal picking conditions.  This led to a splendid turnout of volunteers - 27 on the day (compared to seven at last year’s washout) plus ten earlier in the week when Helm Lane, the road over the Helm, and the Crowpark/Watercrook/Hawes Bridge footpath circuit (by seven ‘W.I. ramblers’) were picked.  All the picking zones were soon allocated to volunteers, even the previously ‘no go’ area of Helm Sink over the wall by the A65 layby.

But this success meant there were eventually no picking zones left to allocate to volunteers arriving later in the day.  Perhaps in future we should say the afternoon (2-4pm) session would only be held if the weather was bad in the morning?  But more litter is arriving already, so there is plenty of scope for ad hoc volunteering.  The Parish Council has a small stock of picking tongs, high-visibility waistcoats, gloves and bags that people can borrow.

Thanks go again to SLDC for providing equipment and taking the bags to tip, and to the public-spirited volunteers who were:  Sue Ashton, Roger Audsley, Andrea Booth, Audrey Bott, Krysia Brodie, Kirsten Cannon, John Chandler, Elizabeth Cooper and Amber, John Covill, John Davidson, Jean Dobson, Ian Ellison, Barbara Hitchcock, Keith and Jude Hodsoll, Marley Hunter, John and Shirley Miller, Chris Nacey, Joan Ratcliffe, Adele Rennard, Sarah Roberts, Ralph Rogerson, Jeremy Rowan-Robinson, David and Rhian Peters, Don Shore, Marcell Tatham, Mike Taylor, Mike Trelogan, Paul Want, Debbie Wilson with Faye Sanna and Appletree pupils EP, LLS and TW.  Well done all of you!

David Peters
Natland Parish Councillor

22/3/16