Businesses, community groups and individuals have stepped up to the plate by tackling litter and improving community spaces as part of #LoveSOT fortnight.
Last month, Daily Focus backed Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s campaign to encourage people to take pride in the city by issuing a rallying call encouraging organisations to volunteer to plant, paint, decorate, mow, clean and litter pick.
Many took up the mantle and from September 18 to 22 they set about tackling rubbish and sprucing up local surroundings.
Organisations that took part included Port Vale FC, Stoke City FC, Middleport Matters, Project Indi, The Haji Bashir Ahmed Foundation, Epic Housing, Stoke-on-Trent Live and The Sentinel and leading logistics company Simarco International Ltd.
Creative content agency i-creation – who partner with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce to produce Daily Focus – also carried out a litter pick around its office at Spode as well as in Stoke town centre.
Meanwhile, Handelsbanken, based at Festival Park, extended their regular litter pick to the wider area.
All firms involved have pledged to carry on the good work with future litter picks.
The successful initiative coincided with news that the City Council has now tackled more than 2,100 illegal dumping incidents since launching the clean-up effort on 20 June.
The week was also part of the wider #LoveSOT fortnight, which ran from 11 to 25 September. During this time individuals and community groups also rolled up their sleeves to tackle grot spots in the city.
That included in Abbey Hulton, where a councillor and resident-led litter pick took place. Over in Goldenhill and Sandyford, resident Julie Cooper pledged to do a litter pick every day in September.
Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for environment and enforcement, said: “I have been very impressed with the love shown by residents, community groups, and businesses during our #LoveSOT fortnight.
“We want this momentum to continue and more pledges of support to help keep the city we call home, clean and clear of rubbish.
“Thank you to everyone who picked up a bin bag and got litter picking. We want everyone to be part of the solution, not the pollution.
“As of Sunday, 17 September we were at 2,103 of cleared illegally dumping incidents. The work will continue at the pace we have set and the progress will allow for teams to be proactive as well as reactive.”
The campaign continues so to find out how to get involved visit stoke.gov.uk/loveSOT
