‘This is about a group of people wanting to contribute as a thank you to the city’
‘Litter-pick army’ of volunteers out in the Spring Bank area of Hull(Image: Cllr Shane McMurray)
A call to a Hull ward councillor helped galvanise a litter-pick that saw dozens of bags of rubbish filled and the Spring Bank area enjoying a spruced-up new look. Cllr Shane McMurray (Central) was approached by members of the area’s Kurdish community, saying how they wanted to find some way to “give back”.
Business owners in Spring Bank said they had been made to feel so welcome by the city that they wanted to do something in return. Cllr McMurray and an eager team of volunteers set about organising a litter-pick in Spring Bank and side streets off.
In the hot weather that was still persisting following the recent heatwave, the group set out in hi-vis vests and, armed with litter-pickers and bottles of water, they generated 26 bags of rubbish, on Sunday, June 28. The clean-up was hailed such a success – by the team leading it and local residents – that there was a repeat on Sunday, July 5, with 12 more streets tackled.
In a post on Facebook about the initial clean-up, Cllr McMurray said: “Last week, members of the Kurdish community decided to give back to our city. We came together for a good old-fashioned community clean-up, helping to make our streets cleaner and showing the pride we have in the place we call home.
“A huge thank you to everyone who took part, your hard work and community spirit made a real difference.” Videoing some of the clean-up operation, Cllr McMurray said the Kurdish people living and working locally wanted to show much they cared about the city, many of them having been established in Hull for about 20 years.
“The Kurdish people on Spring Bank work very hard; work long hours; look after their family; are good people. They want to show people they care about the community by coming out today.”
One resident of Middleton Street said: “It’s always good to see people tidying up and helping out.” He thought it would also “bring back the community feeling as well”.
Another said: “We need more people like the Kurdish. We need them down here every single week, because they’re great people, well-mannered and doing great service to the community.”
Cllr McMurray said that the Spring Bank area is one of the worst in Hull for fly-tipping and, while it could be viewed as “depressing” that there was enough rubbish collected to fill 26 bags in just a couple of hours, it was heartening to hear the positivity that came from the clean-up. “It was a very hot day but everyone was in good spirits.
“It’s something they are now wanting to do every weekend. They would like to expand it to the whole of the Central ward and then the rest of the city.
“During the litter-pick there were lots of people out there saying ‘well done’ and ‘it’s brilliant’. The Kurdish community are saying how Hull has been very, very good to them and given them a good life.
“They’ve been able to work here and raise their families here. I think something like this idea for a clean-up is great; it demystifies some of the differences that exist between people and it’s great for community cohesion, especially in light of the divisive politics that are around at the moment.”
While the litter-pickers were out, Cllr McMurray said one resident told him he would like to arrange to do something similar in his own street. The councillor was making arrangements for some of the clean-up kit to be provided for the man.
He also said that letters in English and multiple languages were being delivered in the area explaining to people how and where they can properly dispose of their waste. “This isn’t about us fulfilling what the council can’t – we know the council is stretched in terms of resources – this is about a group of people wanting to contribute as a thank you to the city.”
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