Two Palm Bay sisters have armed themselves with litter-pickers and black sacks to give their estate and surrounding areas a clean up.
Holly and Sophia Manclark, aged 8 and 5, with help from parents Donna and Scott, began their clean up mission after noticing the amount of litter across the Palm Bay estate when they were out for exercise during the lockdown restrictions.
Pharma worker Scott, 41, said the pair questioned why there was so much rubbish strewn on roads, pavements and parks and decided they wanted to do something about it.
As well as cleaning the estate, the industrious girls have litter picked outside their school at palm Bay, around Cliftonville Library, Northdown Park and other nearby areas.
Scott said: “They were quite inquisitive about all the litter and were asking questions about why people had dropped it,
“When they did outside Cliftonville Library which is only a short stretch, they collected two large bags of rubbish.
“It gives them a sense of achievement but they do get disheartened when we litter pick an area and then go past the next day and there is rubbish on the floor again. They are trying to set an example but also saying it is not just children and get over the message that they are clearing up mess adults have left behind.
“They shouldn’t have to do that but we want to take pride in the place we live.”
The youngsters, who live in Crundale Way, have also created a litter awareness poster that is being displayed in local shops.
Scott is a Friends of Botany Bay and Kingsgate volunteer and the girls have joined him in beach cleans and in giving out bags to visitors to encourage them to dispose of their rubbish properly.
Scott said: “We are raising awareness that leaving litter is unacceptable. We think the message may be getting through in places as the area by the Palm Bay shops is looking much better now. We also get lovely messages with one lady saying her daughter now wants to litter pick.
“The proudness I feel for my daughters is amazing.”
