Rossendale community group receives donation to help with clean up efforts

A band of volunteers has received a host of new equipment to help continue their hard work cleaning up the local community.

As part of the United Utilities’ Better Rivers Better North West Community Fund, volunteer group, Civic Pride Rossendale, received a donation including PPE and tools to control overgrown areas, around the River Irwell.

Civic Pride Rossendale is a group of dedicated individuals from the local community, who spend365 days a year (including Christmas Day) cleaning streets, deterring dog fouling, tending gardens and balsam bashing along the River to control the growth of this invasive species. Every year, Civic Pride Rossendale's volunteers shift about 15 tons of litter, ensuring that the area is significantly cleaner and greener.

The volunteers regularly undertake gardening activities in Rossendale and litter picking across the valley, including riverside walks along the River Irwell. This is what motivated them to get in touch with United Utilities, who provided the group with an array of protective gear.

Commenting on receiving the equipment, Chris from Civic Pride Rossendale said: “Thank you to the team at United Utilities for organising the lovely donation of equipment to our team. The two River Rangers, Luke and Danny, both grand lads, stayed with us for quite a while and brought several boxes full of gear.

“We’ve identified a couple of projects and have provisionally arranged for some of our volunteers to work with Luke and Danny in the not too distant future.

“Thank you again to the United Utilities team.”

Iain Pilling, catchment manager for United Utilities said, “Civic Pride Rossendale is already doing an amazing job in looking after the waterways in their area. It’s important that we support these grassroots organisations who are working hard to have a positive impact in their community ”.

The Better Rivers Better North West Community Fund supports community groups whose activities:

• Benefit local watercourses and riverside environments
• Act as catalyst for improved community and environmental wellbeing
• Reconnect communities to riverside environments
• Promote sustainable drainage

Groups can apply to the fund for up to £2,500 worth of support by emailing Stakeholderrelations@uuplc.co.uk with details of their request.