Litter pickers in Sheffield have issued a rallying call for people to help them to keep our streets spotless.

Groups from across the city have shared their views on how to keep Sheffield tidy, with one common theme, that anyone can pitch in to help.

Tricia Flynn, 50, from Woodhouse, is part of Sheffield Litter Pickers. She said : “There’s a growing movement for cleaning up our environment, but in my opinion we’re just going around in circles if we don’t tackle the root cause.

Litter picking groups across the city agreed that the sheer scale of the problem can be quite overwhelming with hundreds of tons of trash created on a weekly basis across Sheffield. 

Geoff Wilson, 64, from Fox Hill, who has been a part of the Fox Hill Litter Picking Group for more than three years, said: “I had never seen anyone litter pick before.

“I decided to pick up litter a few times and then got into a routine. I realised that actually an hour and a half every now and again on a Saturday morning would make you think that you are doing something worth the while.”

The Fox Hill Litter Picking Group have been around for roughly eight years and have tackled many areas in Sheffield.

Mr Wilson added: “One time someone stopped their car and said it was nice to see that people are taking care of the community.”

In recent years, the importance of litter picking has gained a lot of attention within the local area.

“From a personal point of view you feel appreciated, you know, it’s therapeutic and helps with your mental health.”

Malcolm Camp, 50, who lives in Burngreave, and works for the Green City Action Group has been litter picking for 20 plus years on and off. 

He said: “If I had any advice to give I would tell everyone to download the Fix My Street App which stores all reports on anything in the local area and goes straight to the correct council people.”

He continued: “For example potholes, requesting more bins, accidents or overflowing bins. This way you can sort out the problem for your own home.”