Mayor Praises Hailsham’s Volunteer Litter Pickers

The Mayor of Hailsham has praised the ‘amazing job’ being undertaken by volunteer litter pickers who are trying to keep the town tidy, as part of the Big Clean Up national initiative.

Town Mayor Councillor Paul Holbrook has commended the ‘Dippy Doodahs Gang’, a hard-working group set up five years ago by town councillor Mary Laxton and made up of various community-spirited individuals in Hailsham.

“Mary’s team of volunteer community litter pickers work incredibly hard to keep Hailsham as clean as possible,” said Cllr Holbrook. “They have done a sterling job ever since they started five years ago, and it goes without saying that the litter picks they undertake are often big jobs and there is a lot to keep on top of.”

“In Hailsham, we have a handful of other volunteer groups that are dedicated to picking up litter and I’m grateful to them too for their continued support and interest in protecting the environment and local wildlife.”

Cllr Holbrook added: “Many individuals take on a community role in their spare time and partake in voluntary activities in our amazing town. By doing this, they help improve Hailsham for everyone, both residents and visitors to the town. We have a strong tradition of volunteering and community activism here and the work of the Dippy Doodahs Gang is a perfect example of this community spirit which we should all be proud of.”

Since joining the Big Clean Up initiative, the Dippy Doodahs Gang has met on an ad hoc basis when demand requires it, the most recent site being a stretch of the Cuckoo Trail from the bridge adjacent to Tesco to the South Road car park.

“Over the five years we’ve been litter-picking for the local community, we’ve found some very interesting, discarded objects household items and always manage to collect a huge amount of food related items,” said town councillor Mary Laxton. “Come rain or shine and heavy frosts we contribute alongside other groups and individuals in keeping our community as best we can, litter-free and protecting our wildlife into the bargain.”

“We were one of the first groups formed to specifically provide volunteer-run community litter pick-ups and now many others have followed our lead.”

“Our simple message is this… Please dispose of your litter in the bins provided – or take it home. Have pride in our town and green spaces!”