Newport litter pickers celebrate eight years of keeping town tidy

Newport Community Litter Pickers have been going since the group was started in September 2014 by Councillor Peter Scott.

Since then, they have met every month to walk Newport's streets, parks and playing fields to pick up litter and keep it looking tidy.

The group regularly receives funding for equipment from the town or borough council after applying for grants.

Councillor Scott said it started after he received many litter complaints, and residents wanted to help give the town a bit of a spruce up.

"I set the group up eight years ago and we have been going ever since," he said.

"It is mostly the same team, and we have lots of regulars.

"When we need anything we ask for grants from local councils. We just really enjoy cleaning up the town."

One member, Kevin Edwards, goes on daily walks and always litter picks along the way.

Councillor Scott said it's people like Kevin that keep the group going and the town always looking so tidy.

"We do a monthly litter pick as a group, but also do it ad-hoc, like Kevin, when we are out and about," he added.

"It's a non-political group, people who do it, do it because they love to see the town tidy. The state of the town has improved massively since we started.

"The very first pick we did back in 2014, we counted everything up and we had collected 2,500 items.

"It was a lot of low-lying stuff that had been there for years and years."

Councillor Scott said thanks to the efforts of the club members, the town is tidier than its ever been.

"I would say we are the tidiest town in the county," he added.