LIFE UNDER THE STAIRS
By Local Resident, Jane Stevenson
I joined a small band of stalwart folk last week. We met in the village, were issued with bright red hi-viz tunics, gloves, plastic bags and long grabbers and dispatched to far flung outposts of the community to litter pick.
I’ve seen many local people doing this over the recent months. Perhaps lockdown prompted us to take a fresh look at our neighbourhoods? Not a bad idea, whatever the reasons.
regarded as a ‘safe’ high by many younger folk, it is worth remembering that too much nitrous oxide can result in unconsciousness and/or suffocation. Probably not the best way to end an evening with mates! This got me thinking about another area which I helped clear recently. It’s a secluded spot, no traffic and can be inaccessible in very bad weather. Years ago, my kids used to play there, build camps, ride their bikes and generally have a good time. My volunteer colleagues and I collected five bags of rubbish this time including the aforementioned cylinders, vaping material and other smoking debris, the inevitable bottles and cans and old clothing. We piled up the larger items including old mattresses, a burnt aluminium ladder and a traffic warning sign and arranged for the council to collect.
This area is both mysterious and promising. This area of woodland is relatively unused by most of the inhabitants. Dog walkers may of this road is bounded by fields for occasionally venture into its leafy much of its length, and it was here space, but most of the time it just the litter damage was most prevalent. exists! Apart from the expected cans and bottles, there was a plethora of I do have some sympathy with the sandwich bags and disposable coffee younger community; while not cups from several of the well-known condoning the use of any substance chains. I began to wonder if people which lessens self-control, there is fully understood the meaning of little else available in the village. disposable! Obviously, there is some No green spaces, an infrequent bus type of confusion within the English service to the town and no shops. This pattern is repeated across the language. outlying communities of Dartford. I also checked the smaller roads in It is little wonder kids here deviate the area: they were relatively litter towards a quiet, shady area for a drink and smoke. free. We are a tidy lot in Hawley!
Not being particularly fond of exercising, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed myself. Not only did I have a long walk around the streets where I live, I got to talk to people in their gardens, unloading shopping from cars and those just out and about enjoying the warm weather. Collectively, our group managed to collect over 50 bags of rubbish too. As I worked my way further up the Times have changed. Youth clubs road I came across a collection of don’t exist anymore. Sport and I ‘picked’ Shirehall Road. One side the small gas cylinders. Incorrectly uniformed groups aren’t for everyone.
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