Few volunteers sees clean up cancelled
A LACK of neighbourly spirit has today forced the cancellation of a spring clean of littered streets.A two-week blitz on west Suffolk's scruffy streets had been dubbed as the biggest clean the area has ever seen.
A LACK of neighbourly spirit has today forced the cancellation of a spring clean of littered streets.
A two-week blitz on west Suffolk's scruffy streets had been dubbed as the biggest clean the area has ever seen.
But while the people of mid Suffolk flocked to get involved, they have been let down by neighbouring districts of Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury where lack of volunteers has forced the entire list of events to be scrapped.
Joanne Rogers, Mid Suffolk district council's community safety officer, said: "It is a shame.
"These projects are sometimes hard to get off the ground and we would rather do it properly later in the year, than half-heartedly now.
"I will say please volunteer again next time as it will work very nicely when it goes ahead
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"We want to assure people it will happen eventually, probably early in the summer months when we have more time to organise things.
"I'm proud of the people of mid Suffolk for their support and want to thank them for volunteering.
"Hopefully then we will have more people and equipment, and can do a better job.
"We are a small district council and need the support of Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury. We will be borrowing much of their equipment.
"I've written to everyone who left their contact details and hope word of mouth spreads to those I haven't been able to contact."
An appeal for helpers was launched last month by the Western Suffolk Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.
It was hoped the affects of anti-social behaviour could be tidied up with a series of work to pick up litter, remove chewing gum from pavements, clean away graffiti and cut back overgrown trees.
Eight events were programmed across mid Suffolk, in Stowmarket, Needham Market, Coddenham, Haughley and Elmswell.
But while more than 20 people stepped forward to help, numbers for similar events could not be matched in the other two districts.
Are you angry the events in mid Suffolk were cancelled? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
