A Plympton woman has successfully completed a 24-hour litter pick and raised a tidy sum of money for Devon MIND, the local mental health charity.
Sharon Pengelly has been an active member of Plympton Litter Pickers – which is part of Clean Our Patch – for three years and is one of 50 volunteers who regularly litter pick to help keep Plympton clean.
She set off at 7.30am and spent the next 24 hours collecting litter at a number of locations across the city. She was joined at various points during the day and night by other volunteers from the Plympton Litter Pickers group.
Sharon said:
“I am delighted to have completed the challenge and raised a staggering total of £1272 for Devon MIND – as well as achieving a much cleaner Plymouth after we litter picked in the areas we concentrated on.
“I also managed to achieve a personal record of 105 bags filled in one pick. That’s a huge amount of litter that is no longer clogging the streets of our beautiful city. We collected hundreds of masks, bottles and dog poo bags in the process.
“Thanks to everyone who donated: your support is greatly appreciated. Thanks, too, to those who came along to support me in person. A brilliant 24 hours all round.”
Commenting on the benefits of litter picking Sharon said:
“As well as improvements to physical health, many members of the group have commented on the changes they have experienced to their mental health. Positive changes include increased self confidence,sense of worth and value. The friendships, camaraderie and social events have ensured that loneliness is a thing of the past for our members.”
