Volunteers collect 30 bags of litter in village clean

MORE than 30 residents took part in a village clean-up in Goring on Saturday.

Volunteers brought along their own equipment, including brooms, and were provided with high-vis vests in the community centre for the three-hour event.

They worked in small teams and together cleaned 20 areas of the village, including Manor Road and Cleeve Road, and collected more than 30 bin bags of litter and debris.

Organisers, Robin Williamson and Toby Thurston, Goring parish councillors, were accompanied by Nick Mallen, Barbara Newman, David Bermingham and others.

Mr Williamson said: “Goring is a village with many senior citizens, and it is vital at this time of year that we keep our paths safe and clear.

“In recent years, central government cuts to district and county councils have meant communities and parish councils stepping up.

“The voluntary sector is thriving in Goring and this was a great example of people showing pride in their neighbourhood.”

The area around Rectory Gardens, where the new poppy installation cascades, was made safe by three Goring in Bloom volunteers in time for Remembrance Sunday.

Stephanie Bridle, who chairs Goring in Bloom, said: “The garden is the village centre, where lots of people made their way to the church on Sunday.

“We wanted to make sure the pavement wasn’t slippery, because of the lime trees, which throw all their leaves.

“It was jolly hard work because the leaves were wet and had almost turned into concrete but there were lots of nice words from people passing through the gate to see the cascading poppies.”

The project was put together as part of the Oxfordshire Together project, run by Oxfordshire County Council, which provided some of the kit and collected the sacks.