EVERY week, hundreds of volunteers get involved in cleaning up their community with help from Bolton Council.

The local authority supports community spirited residents by providing litter picking equipment and bags, and providing advice.

And with the help of the council, more groups are setting up to make their area an attractive place to live.

The authority arranges to pick up the litter after the event.

The Bolton News: Breightmet Litter Pickers

(Breightmet Litter Pickers)

Cllr Adele Warren, Bolton Council's executive cabinet member for environmental services, said: "The volunteers are invaluable. We are having an issue at the moment with people throwing litter out of their cars so the work volunteer litter pickers really is invaluable.

"Bolton Council has a volunteer co-ordinator who will support groups in providing bags and equipment and he always gets glowing feedback from the volunteers."

Cllr Warren, who is a member of Breightmet Litter Pickers and was outside yesterday morning picking up rubbish, said a cleaner place boosts morale and community spirit, making the area a nicer place for residents and visitors.

She said: "I believe in the broken windows effect, which is if an area is untidy it comes across as unloved and other behaviours become considered more acceptable.

"A tidy clean area is beneficial both to residents and visitors to the area."

Cllr Warren said: "We have so many volunteer groups, and more registered with the Green Umbrella Group, which support these groups, during lockdown.

"I am a member of a litter picking group and we have solo pickers that just look after a specific area."

Climate change and the environment is currently high of the agenda, but said Cllr Warren, what hope do we have if people cannot even get the basics right.

"It is so frustrating when you seen domestic rubbish, it shows those people are not recycling," said Cllr Warren.

"How difficult is it just to take your rubbish home or find a litter bin."

The Bolton News: CLEAN-UP: Breightmet Litter Pickers volunteer their time to make a difference

(Breightmet Litter Pickers)

Bolton Council has a dedicated email for people wishing to set up a litter picking group or help with cleaning up their area.

There is also volunteer litter picking website which gives advice on what to do if people come across hazardous rubbish.

The email is loveboltonhatelitter@bolton.gov.uk. The website address for advice and helplines is https://www.bolton.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/volunteer-litter-picking