Clean Our Patch founders El Clarke and Ash Samuels have had good reason to celebrate in recent weeks.
In March they celebrated the fifth anniversary of their community interest company with their annual awards ceremony and that was just a few weeks after they had been invited to London by Keep Britain Tidy to attend the launch of the 2023 Great British Spring Clean campaign at the House of Commons.
During their visit Plymouth MP Luke Pollard gave the pair a tour of the House of Commons.
Speaking about the fifth anniversary El said:
“Reflecting on how far we’ve come in the last five years is quite amazing. We have had and still have the privilege of working and collaborating with so many amazing people, groups and organisations that there are too many to mention – however, you all know who you are.
“We have educated thousands of children and possibly adults – hopefully teaching ways to manage waste and challenge littering in a safe way.
Ash added:
“We are truly honoured to know and work with each and everybody who picks with Clean Our Patch.”
The annual awards included the following:
Young Volunteer of the Year – Joshua Birch; Teen Volunteer of the Year – Lee Allchurch; Hardcore Litter Picker of the Year – Alexandra Armstrong; Community Impact Awards – the Cattedown Team and Leigh Mainstone and Estover Team; Team of the Year – Annemarie and Douglas Kerr of the Ham Team; Community Engagement Award – Sue Brain; Volunteers of the Year – Sally Matthews and Lee Tierney; Outstanding Individual Achievement – Madeleine Shaw from Plympton.
Andy McNeill, Clean Our Patch’s Ambassador for Murley who is being treated for terminal brain cancer has chosen the Brain Tumour Charity as the charity which Clean Our Patch will support in 2023.
El said:
“He is a truly amazing human so please keep an eye out for upcoming fundraisers as we want to raise as much as we can this year.”
Ash added:
”We also want to say a massive thank you to Helping Hands Environmental Litter Pickers – the people who create the pickers we all know and love – for sponsoring the annual awards event.
“Thank you to everyone who was able to join us and to everyone who supports us with the litter mission. This is only possible with the help of each and every one of you.”
