Over 40 volunteers came out to join the Friends of the Tame Valley on two community litter picks on Sunday 20th June.
Led by Andrew Gwynne MP, who is secretary of the group, Councillor Denise Ward, who is the chair, and fellow Denton North East Councillor Allison Gwynne, the team of volunteers firstly helped to clean around parts of Jet Amber Fields and Shepley Wood before regrouping further downstream to litterpick around the Whittles Meadow area.
The rubbish collected will be removed by Tameside Council.
Commenting, Cllr Allison Gwynne said: “it was a brilliant turnout, especially as it was Father’s Day. Even though the Friends Group’s volunteers have been removing rubbish for months now, there’s still pockets of grot in the valley. But it’s looking so much better than it did. Well done to everyone”.
Chair of the Group, Cllr Denise Ward said: “This was our first proper group activity, and what a success it’s been! Our volunteers have previously been out cleaning the valley under lockdown requirements to be in household bubbles or two individuals socially distanced. That has limited what we can do. It’s brilliant we can now do things as a group.”
Andrew Gwynne MP added: “I’d like to thank all those who gave up their Sunday to help with these litterpicks. The Tame Valley is a beautiful asset for Audenshaw, Dukinfield, Denton and Hyde and we need to better look after it. Now we can do group activity we will be looking for volunteers to help repair fences and walls, relay paths and cut back overgrowth in areas.”
The Friends of the Tame Valley was established in February as a community ‘Friends of’ group to help look after the section of the Tame Valley from Shepley Wood in Audenshaw, through Jet Amber Fields and Dunkirk Wood in Denton and Hyde and along the Upper Haughton and Whittles Meadows to Mill Lane in Haughton Green.
If anyone is interested in joining the Friends Group please email ajgwynne@sky.com
