LITTER picking is a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Manchester City Council is now offering volunteers grants for clearing the city centre of rubbish and revitalising green spaces.
"We know that our residents have a real pride in their communities and we’re making it as easy as possible for groups to hold regular clean-ups – in turn inspiring others to join the city’s fight against litter."
Last weekend saw the first group of Manchester residents, joined by city centre businesses including Starbucks and McDonald's, take to the streets to clear up the rubbish and waste. 35 bags of rubbish were collected as well as taking time to plant flower bulbs in the Northern Quarter and St Ann's Square.
St Ann's Square saw residents pick up litter last weekend
The City Council is now offering £200 grants for those wishing to keep our city clean, which will allow residents’ groups, schools and other organisations to buy equipment such as bags, litter picks, gloves and bulbs to hold regular clean-ups around the city centre. The clean-up grants come as part of the £14.5 million Clean City fund, part of the airport windfall following Manchester Airport Holdings Ltd’s purchase of Stansted.
The City Council is also asking residents for ideas about how the money can be spent and has already received more than 100 suggestions about how best to clean up Manchester.
Councillor Bernard Priest, deputy leader for Manchester City Council, commented: "We know that our residents have a real pride in their communities and we’re making it as easy as possible for groups to hold regular clean-ups – in turn inspiring others to join the city’s fight against litter.
"We’re making a serious investment by providing new bins which are fit for the modern city centre, but this is a problem we can’t deal with on our own – we need residents to help us, either by organising community clean-up events or simply by not dropping litter."
Phil Barton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, who attended the first clean-up event, said: "I was delighted to join volunteers planting primulas and helping pick up litter on St Ann's Square last Saturday, and this felt like the start of something special in my home city."
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