Community Matters: Paignton's spirit shines in clean-up efforts

I recently became aware of not one but two litter-picking groups in my area; this is in addition to the lovely community members at Waterside, whom I see out with their black bags on the main road by the bus stop, the group that beach cleans at Goodrington and Broadsands and Elbury, or the gents that get up early and clean Paignton Seafront before most people have surfaced.

One of the (newly discovered) groups meet monthly in Galmpton and chooses an area to “pick” each month, whilst the other has formed in their community — Elmsleigh Road — and organises things via a WhatsApp group and a regular meeting in the pub. They have been busy cleaning the kerb sides, picking up litter and poo bags and clearing items that are fly-tipped in their back lanes and access road areas around them.

My initial thought was how sad that these groups are needed when if we were all to put our rubbish in the bin in the first place, it wouldn’t be needed. 

However, my second thought was what lovely community spirit is being shown by people wanting to take care of their areas and come together to do this. Wouldn’t it be great if this happened on every road? 

Whichever way you think about it, this activity is bringing folk together, so I feel we need to say a great big thank-you to all those community-minded volunteers who have pride in their area and quietly get together to keep our surroundings clean and tidy.

In a similar vein, but across the Bay in Babbacombe, a group called Reclaim Our Lane has got together to clear and upgrade the lanes behind their houses and these are fast being tidied up and planted up for the residents to enjoy — what a great idea.

Finally, the Bay has been fortunate to benefit from a legacy to “Brighten our Bay” with flowering bulbs over a three-year period, with the proviso that the planting of this is primarily conducted by children or youth groups. 

If your group or organisation has not yet had contact from your local community builder and you have an area of land you might like to blast with blooms, please get in touch with us, and we would be happy to add your details to the proposed plan.

If the idea of something similar has got you thinking and you would like to set up a group for your area but need some help, please contact your local community builder (details on torbaycommunities.com), and we would be pleased to work with you to get things happening.

Let us bring our communities together to show pride in this wonderful area that we live in.

Gill can be contacted by email: gillknight@torbaycdt.org.uk or call her on 07884 887063.