IT'S now 10 years since Cecil Duckworth set out to help clean up Worcester, strapping a litter picker to his thigh like Wyatt Earp buckling on a gunbelt.

Mythically, of course, because CD ain't no cowboy. He's a man who has visions and bright ideas and, more importantly, gets things done. With Cecil on your side you're halfway there, so Worcester City Council workers must have thought it was their lucky day when he decided to make Worcestershire a bit more green and pleasant back in 1998.

That marked the launch of the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust and his posse has grown considerably since then. Now there are 85 volunteers helping to keep Worcester spick and span and a further 25 in Malvern and Upton upon Severn. Currently there is only one battling away in Droitwich, so anyone who wants to hitch their wagon to the environment star in the spa town would be much appreciated.

Litter picking, tackling fly-tipping, graffiti removal, anything to improve the general vista come in the remit and sadly, citizens being what they are, there's never any shortage of work.

Mr Duckworth said: "I've always liked to keep things clean and tidy and I have difficulty with the mentality that says you just throw things on the floor. Graffiti drives me mad. Worcester City Council has the resources to get things to a certain standard, but I want to move them to a higher level."

The clean-up operation was originally based at Worcester Rugby Club - sensible, really, since in the professional era, Cecil Duckworth owns it and space was available - but in recent years the Trust has moved to the Pump House Environment Centre in Waterworks Road, Worcester.

That's where a former 19th-century pump house, surplus to the requirements of Severn Trent, has been renovated into a very green building indeed.

It includes sustainable energy through small-scale wind turbines, sheep's wool insulation in floors and roof spaces, rainwater recycling for use in toilets and energy-efficient light bulbs. As well as the headquarters of the Duckworth Trust, the building has a display area where exhibitions to promote environmental issues can be held. Along with the litter-picking and graffiti removal, it all adds up to the general vision of a better future.

Mr Duckworth said: "We want to educate people into being more responsible. You go to countries like Sweden, for example, and they don't throw litter around, they take it to the nearest bin. What is it about our national psyche that says it's OK to drop things on the floor. I'll watch people in High Street or down by the riverside and they'll throw rubbish on the floor even though there are bins a few feet away. It really annoys me. I want education to be a major part of our work."

But of course, the public face of the trust are teams that remove old sofas from laybys, collect the flotsam and jetsam of 21st-century life and take pressure washers to brick walls.

Graffiti removal is usually the preserve of the trust's wardens with specialised kit, but anyone can become one its litter wardens.

Trust project manager Roisin Hanks said: "Our wardens alone clear an average of five tonnes of fly-tipped material each week, which is actually very important work, because not only does litter spoil an otherwise attractive environment, but it is also a health hazard, it can kill wildlife and pollute our watercourses.

"We encourage community groups to take responsibility for ensuring their area is litter-free and are always happy to offer help and support to anyone organising a litter pick in their area."

Each litter warden is provided with a litter picker, gloves and refuse sacks and an underlined instruction: "Don't pick up druggies' needles." Leave these for the experts.

Although it began pretty much as an anti-litter organisation, the Trust has now branched out into other areas, notably Worcester Resource Exchange, which was opened in 2004 as an innovative "scrap store". The operation on Shrub Hill Industrial Estate collects clean and safe waste from a range of industries and businesses in the Worcester area and sells them on as inexpensive resources to schools, community play groups, arts groups, Scout and Guide groups and also members of the public. If you want odd pots of paint, roll ends, bits of fabric or stuff like that, this is the place.

No doubt Mr Duckworth has a few more ideas up his sleeve, but for the moment that'll do for the first 10 years. The Duckworth Worcestershire Trust has come a long way since 1998 and a couple of men with a brush cutter and black bag.

l To learn more about the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust or to volunteer as a helper call 01905 734934.