Great Lever 'big clean up' to take place with volunteers and council

A huge effort to clean up the streets of Great Lever will be taking place at the end of the month - and everyone is welcome to play their part.

Following several group litter picks over time, fly-tipping and litter issues are still an ongoing problem in this area.

Now litter pickers from all over Bolton will join forces on May 31, to target five streets in Great Lever.

These are Deal Street, Meredith Street, Beechwood Street, Alder Street and Rupert Street which is one of the longer streets with approximately 220 houses.

Karen Liptrot, of the Highfield and New Bury Litter Pickers and Community Group in Farnworth, is behind the the clean-up after seeing large amounts of rubbish dumped in the Great Lever area back in March.

Karen said: “Previously Bolton Litter Pickers have attended this area on two Sundays back to back because the area was so heavily littered and fly-tipped and so following on from that we know a big issue around there is that residents bins are contaminated so until the littering and fly-tipping is addressed it is going to continue.

Volunteers out litter picking (Image: Karen Liptrot)“I work closely with the south enforcement team at Bolton Council, and I approached them again and asked if they could work with the volunteers and plan an organised and arranged clean-up event with us.

“The enforcement team met me down at the locations and we had a walk round and they agreed that it is needed so they are in full support and will be attending.

“I have also contacted the local ward councillors as well and asked if they would support the event and they were more than happy to do that.

"They are funding three skips for the area on the day and the council is providing the opportunity for residents to bring out any contaminated bins and they will be emptied on the day too.

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“And on the day we will be out litter picking, tidying up and making the areas look presentable.

“It is just about everybody working together to improve these areas that need attention within our borough.”

Many people will be coming together to volunteer litter pick and members of the community are also invited if they would like to attend on the day.

Karen said: “McDonalds will be attending they are sending a team of volunteers as well as volunteers from Amazon.

Previous fly-tipping in Great Lever on Rupert Street (Image: Karen Liptrot)“Bolton borough litter pickers will be helping out, Bolton Council, the south enforcement team, Great Lever ward councillors, we have got support from Frasers Butchers and the local Premier store on Settle Street.

“The local cubs and scouts will also be helping out as it’s during the half term and they quite often help out with our Sunday clean-ups.”

The event will take place on May 31 from 9.30am to 11.30am.

Volunteers will be leafleting local residents to inform them of the event before the clean-up.

Equipment will be provided for any volunteers who wish to take part in the event.

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on X @chloewjourno.