Great Aycliffe Tidy Team have been operating for three years now. We have made a difference around the town. Some areas we clear and stay clear, other areas we go back to several times a year. We do litter pick but the biggest problem is fly tipping, some we remove for the Town Council to pickup, other tips are reported to Durham County Council. One interesting item we have found was a wheelbarrow half full of set concrete. Other items we find are plastic Christmas trees, dumped in woodland, plastic will not Biodegrade. Recently we found lots of empty alcohol bottles, freshly dumped into woodland, some of the price labels were well over £20, most of them were later recycled.
I know other groups litter pick in the town, in fact some of the Tidy Team have helped them. Besides litter picking, the Tidy Team have planted trees, cut back branches alongside the Great Aycliffe Way, and other little jobs to help the public.
I would like to thank the staff of Great Aycliffe Town Council, for removing the rubbish we collect.
Ian Gray