The first ever Big Merton Spring Clean has been hailed a big success.
By Amani Hughes and Jack Miller
The first ever Big Merton Spring Clean went off with a bang last weekend.
Over 100 volunteers across ten of Merton’s wards, including councillors, residents and even AFC Wimbledon’s mascot, Haydon the Womble, turned out to support the event.
The Spring Clean was run by Merton Matters, a group who called on residents to pick up their brooms, buckets, mops and sponges to make Merton sparkle.
Through the Big Spring Clean, the council and Merton Matters wanted to raise awareness of the littering issue in Merton, and make it clear to everyone in the borough that dropping litter on the streets is unacceptable.
In the Ravensbury ward alone, 37 bags for landfill and recycling were collected, and eight fly-tips were reported.
The council currently spends over £5million a year on clearing up litter, graffiti and fly tipping, and says that this money could be better spent on other services to benefit the community.
Merton Matters founder, Dan Goode, spoke to SWLondoner on the day, as did Head of Merton council Steven Alambritis and several of the volunteers that turned out in Ravensbury.
Photo courtesy of rockinpaddy, with thanks.
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