John sets a fine example helping keep our city clean (From Worcester News)

John sets a fine example helping keep our city clean

10:00am Wednesday 21st July 2010 in Take Pride Headlines By Flora Drury, @floradruryWN #worcsnews

HAPPY MAN: John Wakefield just loves to be out and about on his rounds across Worcester.(29046003) Buy this photo »

CLEANING Worcester’s streets is both rewarding and satisfying, according to John Wakefield.

Mr Wakefield has been cleaning our streets for five years and says he cannot think of one bad thing about the job.

”It’s a job I appreciate doing,” he said. “I am really quite proud of working for the council. And it’s made me strong and healthy from being outside.

“I never get that Monday morning feeling because I love coming to work.”

Mr Wakefield, of Oldbury Road, St John’s, is one of the team of council employees and volunteers who keep our city’s streets tidy – although many may not appreciate quite how much work it takes.

As part of our Take Pride in Worcester campaign, in conjunction with the city council and VisitWorcester, your Worcester News is trying to highlight how much time and effort is used cleaning up our rubbish.

Mr Wakefield’s usual round takes him from Wyld’s Lane, along Bath Road and into London Road – and he also makes three circuits of the city centre to clean the bins.

His job can take him to the A449 to pick up the litter along the dual carriageway, and has at times involved going out with the dustbin men – but that’s part of what he loves about the job.

“It’s different every day,” he said. And 45-year-old Mr Wakefield really cares about the work he does, always making sure he does a little bit extra – even if it’s off his patch.

He said: “If I see the something round the corner and it’s not on my route I will always go out of my way and do it. If I go home and didn’t do it, it would be playing on my mind.”

Mr Wakefield says he is not alone in being so concientious – everyone he works with, from litter pickers to bin collectors to those who work in the parks take just as much pride in their work.

“I think we’ve got an excellent team,” he said. “Everyone is very reliable and they do a great job. I’ve had people come up to me and say I’m doing a good job in the town centre and on my normal route round as well.”