A group of business leaders are encouraging their neighbouring companies to support a campaign which will help clean up the region’s biggest business park.
Seven Aycliffe Business Park Community (ABPC) board members are supporting Durham County Council’s big spring clean, which runs until April 4.
They joined the council’s neighbourhood protection manager Ian Hoult on a litter-picking session on Aycliffe Business Park.
Several large refuse bags full of waste were collected from a litter-blighted area along Whinbank Road on Aycliffe Business Park.
The session was organised by ABPC board member Thomas Prentice, business development manager at Stiller Warehousing and Distribution.
He said: “I’ve always been passionate about our local environment and ever since I joined the Aycliffe board last August, I’ve been looking for ways of how to improve the look of the business park.
“Litter is an obvious challenge and it’s something we, as a board, think should be tackled head on.
“There are other organisations doing some great things across the business park, in particular Nev Jones and the town-wide Keep Aycliffe Tidy campaign.
“But we want to encourage other businesses to get involved as well. If every company on the business park tidied up the immediate areas around their premises it would make a huge difference.”
Thomas was joined by other ABPC board members Kerina Clark, Lee Harris, Sarah Slaven, Pamela Petty, Martin Walker and Rachel Townsend-Green.
Ian Hoult added: “It was fantastic to see the Aycliffe Business Park Community board leading by example here and getting involved.
“The Civic Pride team can help support any volunteer litter picks by loaning equipment, health and safety guidance and removal of your collected litter.
“We have seen a growing number of people look to play their part in looking after the local environment – it can be fun and it makes a real difference.
“Businesses can contact us if they want to get involved.”
Any businesses or organisations interested in organising their own litter picks can call 03000 260000, email [email protected] or visit durham.gov/bigspringclean.
• Pictured above (left to right): Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager Ian Hoult (back) with some of the Aycliffe Business Park Community board (left to right) Lee Harris, Sarah Slaven, Pamela Petty, Martin Walker, Rachel Townsend-Green, Kerina Clark and Thomas Prentice. Pic by Stuart Boulton.