'Have pride in where you live' says Chesterfield litter picker after rubbish reappeared days after it was cleaned up

Litter is becoming an increasing problem in a Chesterfield neighbourhood, as rubbish reappeared on playing fields days after it was cleaned up by a resident.
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Simon Parker, who has lived in Hollingwood for the last 27 years, is calling for more education in schools about the importance of not dropping litter after a spike in rubbish left strewn over fields in the community.

The 52-year-old who is secretary of the Hollingwood Residents Association, collected a bin bag full of plastic bottles, tin cans and red balloons that were left on the football fields on Private Drive on April 17.

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But two days later Simon was out picking up litter again after more rubbish, this time including nitrous oxide gas canisters, were dumped on the green space.

Simon Parker (centre - in orange) on a litter pick with Hollingwood residents as part of the annual Great British Spring Clean event.Simon Parker (centre - in orange) on a litter pick with Hollingwood residents as part of the annual Great British Spring Clean event.
Simon Parker (centre - in orange) on a litter pick with Hollingwood residents as part of the annual Great British Spring Clean event.

He said: "There's a couple of ladies that go around picking as well but it seems to be at the moment, I need to be going out every day.

"It is disappointing, there are facilities there to collect litter, there are bins there, we would like it so everybody can enjoy it and the football team need to play on it.”

A number of litter picking groups have been set up around Chesterfield, after an increase in rubbish left discarded across the town now more people are spending time outside in the warm weather.

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Simon said praised the area's ‘high community spirit’ and the people who are going out to clear rubbish left behind by others.

The 52-year-old is calling for there to be more education in schools on litter to prevent rubbish being dropped.The 52-year-old is calling for there to be more education in schools on litter to prevent rubbish being dropped.
The 52-year-old is calling for there to be more education in schools on litter to prevent rubbish being dropped.

He added: "We would like to engage with the teachers to remind students that it is an environmental problem, a plastic bottle that you leave and that gets trodden into the ground is there for hundreds of years.

"We don't want to be seen to be telling people off, we want to help and engage rather than tell off.

"Let's educate the people that are doing this to say it's not acceptable, have pride in where you live, you want to play on that football pitch then clean up after yourselves.”

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Hollingwood Residents Association are holding a litter pick, which starts at The Hollingwood on June 5 as part of Keep Britain Tidy’s annual Great British Spring Clean event.

More litter is being dropped in Hollingwood at the moment according to Simon.More litter is being dropped in Hollingwood at the moment according to Simon.
More litter is being dropped in Hollingwood at the moment according to Simon.

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