Litter pick hero's mission to transform the streets
Date published: 28 February 2022
Johnny Melia and his son Ben, 10
An enthusiastic dad from Oldham has made it his mission to make a difference to areas blighted by litter and fly tipping.
Johnny Melia and his son Ben, 10, began their litter picks back in 2020, and now regularly clean areas around Park Bridge and Coal Pit Lane.
"I just got fed up with some people moaning about litter and rubbish, but simply blaming the council, the police or the Government", says Johnny, 52. "I just thought 'why don't we do something about it?', so I arranged my first litter pick."
Johnny and Ben now spend hours each week collecting litter and rubbish from the roadside, under bushes and trees, and overgrown land.
"I get scratched and scraped all the time, cuts and bruises are just a hazard of the job. But there's something really rewarding about making a difference.
"You really can transform an area. There was some land near Coal Pit Lane that was a mess. I spent days pulling out rubbish and litter. Beer kegs, cans, take-away wrappers, even building rubble. But when I'd finished, I sat back and realised it was a beautiful piece of land. It really made a difference."
Johnny admits that the litter does return, but he'll continue to clean it up. He says education and self-responsibility are key.
"I know some people get annoyed that the rubbish is back again, but let's all chip in, do our bit, and keep things tidy."
Asked about Oldham Council's 'Don't Trash Oldham' campaign, Johnny says he's a big fan.
"Anything that helps is brilliant. Anything positive about keeping our streets clean is a good idea.
"And here's what's true: if you go into an area that's clean, you're less likely to dump rubbish. You feel compelled to keep it clean. But if you walk through an area that's strewn with litter and not taken care of, you're more likely to drop rubbish on the floor."
It's a long shift for Johnny and Ben, they often spend 3 hours at a time picking up litter and ensuring it's collected. At first, Johnny says he was a little self-conscious.
"At first, I wondered if I looked like a bit of a weirdo, walking around with a bag of rubbish, but I've had people stop in their cars to thank me for what I'm doing. I've been bought coffee a few times too. I think if people get past worrying how they look, then we can just go for it, and really make it look nice.
"It's very therapeutic, and very rewarding."
Johnny is always on the look out for fellow volunteers, and you can contact him through Facebook.
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