We’re backing Oldham Council’s Don't Trash Oldham Day of Action

Today we’re backing Oldham Council’s Don’t Trash Oldham Day of Action to help tackle litter and fly tipping in the borough.

To show our support, colleagues from our Neighbourhoods Care and Neighbourhoods teams are taking part in community litter picks in Sholver and Derker to help tidy up the streets and open spaces.

We’re joining forces with local residents, Councillor Angela Cosgrove as well as pupils from St Thomas’ Moorside C.E, Woodlands Primary Academy and Mayfield Primary School to show the local neighbourhoods some love.

Together we’ll be out and about clearing up rubbish to improve the areas so if you spot us, come and say hello or better still, join in!

Ronnie Davies, Neighbourhood Care Team Leader (Waste Management) says: “Cleaning up our communities is a priority for us and Oldham Council and we’re delighted to be part of this day of action and make a difference in Sholver and Derker.

“We want our neighbourhoods to be great places for customers to live and while most people take pride in where they live, unfortunately a minority don’t and rubbish and fly tipping are persistent issues locally. It’s unsightly, unpleasant and a nuisance, and it can be a health and safety risk too. Dealing with it is also really costly – putting pressure on our services and diverting money and resources away from other important services for our customers.

“Joining in with sessions like this with Oldham Council and the local community is part of our wider work to make our neighbourhoods neater, tidier, more attractive and sustainable places to live and I can’t wait to see what we can all achieve today!”

Throughout Oldham Council's Day of Action, ward members and teams from across various local authority departments will be rolling up their sleeves and carrying out litter picks and clean ups at sites across the borough that have been identified as needing a bit of extra attention. Read more on the Oldham Council website.

Our work in Sholver and Derker

Our involvement in these Sholver and Derker litter picks builds upon the good work our teams have carried out locally through our Waste Management Strategy, launched in autumn 2022.

With support from our contractor Casey and Oldham Council, in September ’22 we held three community waste collection days in Sholver to tidy up the area and help local people to dispose of bulky household items free of charge.

This was followed up with a visit to St Thomas’ Moorside CE Primary School in November, where colleagues from our Neighbourhood Care teams and Oldham Council’s Waste Management team passed on key messages to the next generation in an interactive session all about key green issues, including the problems that litter can cause and the benefits of recycling.

Meanwhile in Derker,we teamed up with pupils from Woodlands Primary Academy, members of Friends of Stoneleigh Park and Councillor Angela Cosgrove in September to litter pick our way round the Derker neighbourhood and clear 12 bin bags of rubbish from the streets. Community waste collections days are planned for the neighbourhood later this year.

Our strategy to tackle waste and fly tipping in neighbourhoods

In autumn 2022 we launched our new Waste Management Strategy to tackle the amount of rubbish that affects our neighbourhoods and pledge our support for Oldham Council’s Don’t Trash Oldham campaign.

On a rolling programme until March 2025 we are targeting places where litter and fly-tipping are causes for concern. We’re arranging community litter picks, waste collection days, engagement activities to promote good recycling habits and improving bin facilities at communal blocks of flats.  Following this work, we are asking customers to play their part in keeping their neighbourhood looking good.

Look out for updates on our website to see when we’ll be coming to your neighbourhood.

Read more about our waste management strategy.