Council leads week of action to boost pride in Kidsgrove
Residents living in the north of the borough can help to make their communities even cleaner, greener and more welcoming next week.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is inviting households, community groups, businesses and volunteers in Kidsgrove to take part in five days of enhanced action as part of its ongoing Civic Pride initiative.
The long-term scheme – delivered in collaboration with partner organisations including Aspire Housing and Staffordshire Police under a unified #PrideInNUL banner – aims to boost the borough’s reputation as a place which is clean, safe and friendly. It’s a response to feedback from residents and captures some existing work but is also a call to arms for local people of all ages to get involved.
The council is leading a series of practical activities from Monday, 13 July to Friday, 17 July designed to improve neighbourhoods, tackle environmental issues and celebrate community spirit.
Council Leader Jonathan Gullis said:
Civic Pride cannot just be a slogan: it has to mean visible action on the ground, cleaner streets, safer neighbourhoods and a council that is properly present in the communities it serves.
Kidsgrove is a town with huge pride, brilliant volunteers and a strong community spirit. This week of action is about backing those people, tackling the issues residents raise with us, and showing that the council is serious about restoring pride in every part of the borough.
Whether it is litter picking, improving access to green spaces, supporting local groups or taking action against fly-tipping and environmental problems, every bit of effort makes a difference. The council will play its part, but Civic Pride works best when residents, businesses, community groups and local partners come together.”
A drop-in session is available at Kidsgrove Town Hall on Tuesday, 14 July, from 10am to 2pm, where visitors can get information and advice about a wide range of subjects. The session will be followed by a community litter pick, with equipment available for anyone who would like to join in. A police van will also be stationed by town centre shops in King Street.
Neighbourhood rangers are carrying out improvement works at Clough Hall Lake on Wednesday, clearing overgrown entrances and improving access to footpaths. Anyone interested in visiting are welcome to meet the team on site at 11am. Visitors are advised to wear suitable footwear due to the overgrown nature of the site.
Community volunteering opportunities continue on Thursday when the council’s Green Team will join a weekly gardening session at Kidsgrove Railway Station between 10am and 12pm. New volunteers are always welcome and are encouraged to bring gardening gloves, suitable footwear and a high-visibility vest if they have one.
Residents are also encouraged to visit the Friends of Newchapel Observatory, a dedicated volunteer group working to restore the former observatory and natural sciences centre. The group meets every Thursday morning between 10am and 12pm. Anyone wishing to attend is encouraged to contact the group beforehand as sessions are weather dependent.
There will be an enhanced council presence in Kidsgrove throughout the week, with Streetscene operatives and mobile multi-functional officers carrying out general maintenance tasks, fly-tipping patrols and pest control visits.
Cllr Andrew Fisher, Cabinet member for Residents’ Services and Neighbourhoods, added:
This is about practical action, not warm words. Our teams will be out in Kidsgrove throughout the week dealing with the everyday issues that matter to residents, from street maintenance and fly-tipping patrols to supporting local clean-up and volunteering efforts.
We know the overwhelming majority of people care deeply about where they live. Sadly, a small minority can drag an area down through littering, dumping waste or anti-social behaviour. This week is about standing with the decent, community-minded majority who want Kidsgrove to be cleaner, greener and more welcoming.
I would encourage anyone who can spare a bit of time to get involved, whether that is joining a litter pick, supporting a local project or simply speaking to the council and our partners about what more needs doing in their area.”
More information about Civic Pride is available on the council’s website. The next event takes place in Newcastle town centre from 17 to 21 August.