A GROUP of children from Worcester worked hard for their lunch by picking up litter and improving the area in which they live and play.

Youngsters from the Green Centre, Dines Green, helped pick up litter around the community centre with the help of volunteers from the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust.

The children were eager to help the volunteers and made sure that they were suitably kitted out with gloves, a litter picker and a high visibility vest.

Clair George, aged nine, was in the group who helped to pick up sweet wrappers, crisp packets, and paper, among other items.

She said: “I enjoy litter picking because it’s a good thing to do.

“I like picking up the litter because litter is bad. Cleaning it up makes everything look nice.”

As part of the Take Pride in Worcester campaign being run by your Worcester News, Worcester City Council and VisitWorcester, we are trying to highlight how much time and money is spent keeping our city looking presentable.

And, it seems the younger you are, the better it is to start getting into good habits.

Laura Chapman, education and information officer for the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust, said: “It’s important for children to realise the beauty of the areas they live in and to respect the areas they live in.

“It’s important they understand the threats that litter causes to wildlife.

“They thoroughly enjoy it and realise the impact they are having by doing the litter picks. It’s nice to see them giving something back for their own community, and it’s also good for older people to be able to see the children getting involved in something positive. They’re helping to preserve it.”

People who report ‘grot spots’ in Worcester have been promised they will be cleaned up within two working days. Worcester City Council has made the pledge – and it is determined to fulfil it. The only time it cannot keep its promise is when it falls on private property – then it will contact the owner. Call 01905 722101 to report a ‘grot spot’.

PEOPLE are encouraged to band together and clean up their areas.

Worcester City Council would like groups of people to organise litter picks. The council will provide a street sweeper, bin bags and high visibility jackets, and arrange for all the bags of litter to be collected. And your Worcester News will take before and after photos to record your efforts. Anyone wishing to organise a community clean-up can call 01905 722101. Don’t forget to let your Worcester News know when and where. You can call us on 01905 742260 or e-mail fd@worcesternews.co.uk.