On the morning of Saturday 20th September there was a Nechells Clear Up event organised by Churches Together in Nechells that brought together volunteers from the local community, statutory and voluntary organisations. The morning started with litter-picking and then there was a community BBQ.
70 people litter-picked across Nechells, with St Matthews Church, The POD and the Nechells Outreach Centre as bases for briefings, refreshments and toilets. A grand total of 140 bags of litter were collected and bulky items were removed. There was a great atmosphere and during the morning people were thanking the teams for their hard work.
Revd Becky Jones, of the parish of Aston and Nechells, said, ‘It was great to see people getting together to make a difference in Nechells. It’s really rewarding to work with others who also love the area.’
At 1pm people downed tools and there were community BBQs by the side of St Matthews Church and at the Nechells Outreach Centre. A great variety of foods were available and it was a good time for meeting others in the community.
Local businesses had generously donated food and supplies. The Wing Wah, Wing Yip, Coop Funeral Care, Blakemores, Cleone Foods and Tesco all played a part. We were grateful for the help of Rob Walker (our local business connector), and the Nechells Police. Churches Together in Nechells involved as many people as possible. Several members of staff from the Coop Funeral Care joined in with the event on the day.
Joining a litter-picking team and mixing with others over food, is a great way to get to know other people in your area.
Revd Becky Jones said, ‘The day was a great success, showing how much we, together, care about Nechells. It’s was a fun community event that’s made a positive impact.’
Special thanks to Birmingham City Mission for supplying the van and to all who worked so hard to fill it!