Market Drayton volunteers come together to play their part in 'The Big Help Out'
An army of nature lovers are preparing to stage a mass litter pick and tidy-up as part of a nationwide volunteering effort this Friday.
To coincide with The Big Help Out, volunteers will team up to tidy Market Drayton’s town centre and housing estates, as well as the local canal.
Children from two local schools will also be taking part in the community litter pick, which will start at 10am from Longlands Primary School.
Organiser George Hounsell, from the 4 All Foundation, said: "This weekend, millions of people are going to be doing extraordinary things in every community in the country and it feels amazing to be a part of that collective effort.
"We’re looking forward to seeing people come together for the benefit of the local area and play their part in a project that’s going to make a difference to the lives of so many local people."
The event is one of hundreds taking place across the country this weekend as part of this year’s Big Help Out - a nationwide volunteering opportunity organised by The Together Initiative, a coalition of some of the UK’s best known businesses and organisations.
The Big Help Out is central to a volunteering fight back as the sector recovers from the terrible impact of consecutive lockdowns, which broke the habit of volunteering for huge numbers all across the country. Figures from the latest NCVO ‘Time Well Spent’ report reveal volunteering remains 30 per cent lower than it was before the pandemic.
Brendan Cox, co-founder of Together, said: "Volunteering took a real hit from Covid, and numbers still haven’t recovered. That doesn’t just mean that community organisations have less capacity, it also means that too few people are getting the huge benefits of volunteering - it’s good for your mental health, good for self-esteem and a great way to meet people too.
"We’re urging people to join us and give it a go - it’s so rewarding and it really could be one of the best things you ever do."
For more information, and to find out how you can get involved, visit thebighelpout.org.uk.
By Catherine Bontoft - Contributor
