Saturday, 2 April 2016

Well aware - the March Accounts!



Pleased as Punch with Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Challenge. I cracked it, finding something everyday throughout March to raise awareness. So here are the accounts -
16 bags of rubbish collected

20 posters given out

132 leaflets distributed

1 brochure

Income £55.05

Donations £75.61 all heading for Prostate Cancer UK

Jeff Stelling was doing his own Awareness project, the Men United March and I chose to send £20 of our donation to Prostate Cancer UK  through this excellent, high profile event. I divided the money between Jeff’s own collection and that of another participant, Derek McNair. He wanted to get involved after his own diagnosis and subsequent surgery. We totally understand the urge, it’s such a positive reaction to facing this threat. Getting out there, spreading the word and using personal experience to do so is such a powerful combinaton. Hopefully, your treatment has done the trick.

Thanks to all those who so readily responded to my efforts. I’m not mentioning names because I asked and every single person said yes while others quite spontaneously stepped forward. It was a super experience for me and I’m just hoping we may have improved someone’s future.

If only I'd got my act together by ordering more posters in time! Hey there's always April.

Sunday, 20 March 2016

Mark Keanely remembered


Difficult to contain my emotions today as both Bernard and Barbara went out of their way to show their support for the cause. I met them while out on Catherine's Lane collecting 2 bags. Bernard was so enthusiastic in his support and took a leaflet for himself as well as one for a friend. He has got rather disheartened by his own attempts to keep the roadsides around his house clear of rubbish which is perfectly understandable given it is a never ending job. Today provided more examples of the random items people leave behind, this bottle of Pandora's Box perfume was almost full. Bernard was sorry not to have a donation to hand but very quickly acted on his generous impulse, returning a short time later, with a donation of £10. Thank you Bernard, as usually I have already sent it off to Prostate Cancer UK combined with the £5.05 already in the pot. With giftaid the total came to £18.81. It seemed appropriate to continue our practise of using donations to remember men who have lost their fight with Prostate Cancer and today we marked the passing of Mark Kenealy who was so active in the Prostate Cancer UK Forum before his death. 



I never met Mark but he played such a massive part in keeping me sane while we were going through it. He was diagnosed too late for successful treatment but through the Forum gave support to so many. His calm, intelligent and perceptive responses to posts are memorable. He understood what a diagnosis meant and the traumas of living with it for both sufferer and their family.  Known as Spurspark, he wrote a truly eloquent piece called The Rocky Road which described his path through Prostate Cancer. I took a copy and would like to post it, however, I haven't been able to contact his family and so don't feel it would be appropriate without their permission. Sadly Mark died in 2012, when he was only 52. He is remembered by many for his valuable contributions made all the more notable as he was coping with his own difficult battle.


Barbara deserves her own special mention - so I'll save it until next time, watch out for it.

Friday, 18 March 2016

Prostate progress - smells so good

The challenge of doing something every day during March to raise awareness is still going strong. Bit of a panic on Wednesday because we had commitments all day so I created the penalty for failing, a £5 donation to Prostate Cancer UK. Stupidly, it took a few minutes for me to realise, by making the donation, I was actually fulfilling the challenge for that day. Cancer Research confirmed this when I went into the local charity shop this morning.

“Every step forward relies on every pound, every hour and every person.”

This was the  message I found on the back of the 2 birthday cards I bought . So concise yet so powerful and inspiring. It doesn’t matter if you are a scientist researching the disease, a doctor, a specialist nurse, a sufferer, a family member or simply someone who is sending a card, we all have the means to make a difference if we look for the opportunities.

We are making steps forward. Diagnosis has been a concern but refinements are in the pipeline. At the moment the PSA blood test is the easiest and most readily available diagnostic tool but it is flawed and even the subsequent biopsy may fail to pick up on positive readings. The biopsy is invasive which too often means men are not willing to be checked. Now there is evidence that the cancer can be detected by smell. Medical detection dogs have a remarkable success rate in detecting a number of cancers including prostate. This has inspired the scientists to investigate and in February a team of UK scientists announced early tests had shown soon it may be possible to diagnose urological cancers by changes in the smell of urine samples using an odoreader. There is still work to be done but the feeling is men will be more willing to volunteer for this form of test.
I looked into medical detection dogs and found an excellent website full of information and examples of their work. Take a look here:-  

I do understand how smell can be so effective in diagnosing a disease. I’m diabetic and when blood sugars rise through illness of before the disease has been detected, the breath of the sufferer can smell “sweet”, a bit like peardrops. Also urine can smell different.

So we go back to that potent message, to move forward we can all contribute in time, in money, in taking part, in supporting our neighbours and friends and especially in giving all those who work so hard the opportunity to save lives. Have the courage to take the test or volunteer for a trial.

Tuesday, 15 March 2016

Lovania Nurseries steps up to the pump.

Huge thanks to award winning Lovania Nurseries for being so enthusiastic in their willingness to help build Prostate Cancer awareness. I headed up to their HQ at Tarleton this afternoon purely on speck knowing they were one of the largest employers in West Lancashire and hoping to leave a couple of posters. In fact they took my entire stock, 14 posters, to display across their many growing and business sites. They also took 30 Know your Prostate quick guides to pass around their team. Having visited their website I already had the impression Lovania cared, now I’ve actually been there and received such an overwhelming response I have no doubt.


Lovania Nurseries is a locally based family business growing, developing and supplying alpines, bulbs and perennials to the trade. They are a major player with customers including large retailers, including Aldi, as well as garden centres like Dobbies and smaller outlets. So if you were interested in recreating a corner of the Tyrol in your garden, you wouldn’t be able to drop in to Lovania’s own premises to pick up your bulbs but chances are you will have bought their products elsewhere. On the other hand, if you are a retailer, selling plants, it would be well worth your while taking a look at their catalogue which can be downloaded from their website www.lovania.co.uk/. Importantly, you would be able to make a point of offering plants grown in the UK which is always a good thing.

The March Prostate Cancer Awareness challenge is inspiring me to overcome my reservations and trepidations and simply get out there. Who knew it would open so many opportunities to explore our community and to meet so many super people? We’re half way through and so far I have successfully come up with at least one idea to spread the message for every single day of March. Thrilled.

Sunday, 13 March 2016

Prostate Cancer - we can beat it together

Glorious sunshine this pm as I finished collecting on Heskin Lane. Delighted to meet Robert who came out to introduce himself. He is involved in the local branch of Home Instead and wanted to take a photo of this woman at work. Robert was very generous in his praise for the Clean up project and will be including a link to the Clean up Prostate Cancer facebook page. He accepted a leaflet and I will be dropping off posters for him to display in the office. Thank you for your support, Robert, it is particularly important because your work brings you in contact with older men. As we know incidence of Prostate Cancer increases with age, the time when trouble with men’s waterworks is often assumed to part of the process getting on in years. A dangerous assumption, changes in the way a man pees is one of the early signs of this disease.


Today I jam packed my third bag on this stretch of road now awaiting collection by the wonderful WLDC crew. Contents include one or two curiosities like a handsome torch and the featured 7 half pint cartons of milk which may well have fallen off the back of a lorry last December. (Use by date 19th December I didn’t open any, from past experience I know the smell lingers forever. The neatly tied bag of rubbish pictured on the left is the inspiration for my small rant of the day. Why did it end up in the hedgerow? You’ve gone to the trouble of putting it all in a carrier bag, the bag is clean, nothing is leaking, take it home and put it in the bin. The bag alone could easily have been used to line a waste bin. It cost 5p so why not get your money’s worth. Rant over.

Speaking of 5p's, I found one today and have put it in the empty Prostate Cancer UK pot. I made the latest donation of £11.80 yesterday and chose to remember our neighbour and friend, Harold Jeffrey who was so gallant as Prostate Cancer spread through his body. Always dignified, always ready with his gentle smile, suffering in silence, a good man, sadly missed. To make sure others are made aware and do not have to deal with this fate, I keep handing out those leaflets and including the collection on Friday I've dished out 7 this weekend. Pleased as punch! Working together, stepping forward as Robert did today, we can beat Prostate Cancer.

Friday, 11 March 2016

Prostate Cancer awareness - is your employer getting involved?

What a sociable crowd I met on Heskin Lane, Ormskirk yesterday as I collected 2 bags and gave out 3 Know your Prostate Quick Guides. I must make special mention of Chris who popped out to offer me a drink. As a member of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service he is fully up to speed on Prostate Cancer. This is the kind of employer we need in the campaign to spread the message. With posters displayed in the workplace, Chris already had his leaflet and showed my his Man of Men badge. All this is essential but even more importantly, Chris had clearly taken advantage and made himself familiar with the disease. I was struck by his enthusiasm, good man. I have huge admiration for those who put themself at risk for our safety. Not forgetting to mention his Mum who does her own volunteer rubbish collections on Holborn Hill.

I was also pleased to see Roger, longtime friend of the page, who had just been covering a story about the outrageous amount of flytipping on Blackacre Lane since it was closed. You can follow the story at qlocal/Ormskirk.

Couldn’t help hearing a medley of that Hot Chocolate classic merging with You can leave your hat on in my thoughts. Could it be the cast of a drama society had been rehearsing The Full Monty locally? Underpants, trousers...mobile.Spring is definitely here, catkins, daffodils, snowdrops, trees budding. I don't know about you but I find all these signs of life really uplifting. Get out there and enjoy it. 

Monday, 7 March 2016

Doing my bit for the Queen

Clean for the Queen stirred the nation this weekend and I wasn’t going to be left out. With 3 events scheduled in West Lancashire I opted to head over to Beacon Country Park on Sunday morning. It’s a fabulous spot with stunning views, a lovely spot for the kids to let off steam. Unfortunately, the clash with Mothering Sunday probably affected attendence. I could only have stayed an hour that morning so after a chat with a very nice ranger who offered me an armful of Clean for the Queen bags and accepted a Know your Prostate leaflet I headed home.


With verges I worked on yesterday afternoon and again today I filled 3 more bags for the Queen. So that I have now covered both sides of Northway from the county border to Winifred Lane. I’ll have to start looking for a new spot. (Dare I say yippee!). One of the  high spots actually happened today when I met Tony. Offering him a leaflet I learned he had no need of the information, Tony has already faced the experience of Testicular Cancer and I was privileged to learn a little about it. Good man. Not everyone is ready or able to talk about life threatening  illnesses. It is a shame because by speaking among friends and colleagues you are sharing essential information. People listen to face to face stories far more than they take notice of campaign publicity. Thanks Tony for taking a leaflet to pass on to someone who needs it.

Saturday, 5 March 2016

Ormskirk supports Prostate Cancer Awareness

Do you know the worst barrier to making things happen is not even trying?

To make the Clean up Prostate Cancer project work I really must stop procrastinating. Those who follow this blog will know I have set myself a challenge for Prostate Cancer Awareness month. Everyday I am doing something to raise awareness. Today I went out and about in Ormskirk. I had decided one of the best spots to spread the message was the local snooker club – 22 Club but it didn’t stop there as impulse took over.

Many thanks to


  • Nicola at the Queen Inn Aughton St, Ormskirk who took a poster to display in the pub and a leaflet to pass on to her Dad.
  • Hesford’s Hardware who will be displaying a poster on their front door and took 6 leaflets to pass on to their staff.
  • 22 Club who will be displaying a poster.
  • Paul at AB Cabs who let me put a poster on their waiting area noticeboard and very willingly said he would distribute Clean up Prostate Cancer quick guides to their 50 drivers. Will drop them off in the week when they arrive from Prostate Cancer UK.
  • Chatty man who kept us entertained in the coffee queue. He took a leaflet and was lovely with Marion, my friend, whose husband died of Prostate Caner 2 years ago.

What a day, not one person I approached hesitated to pitch in. It is a lesson learned. Don’t spend too long thinking about what might happen, go for it. 

Tuesday, 1 March 2016

Prostate Cancer Awareness month

March is Prostate Cancer Awareness month

One of the best tools we have in the fight to beat Prostate Cancer is 100% awareness. That is what Clean up Prostate Cancer is all about so for the month of March I have challenged myself to do one thing everyday to spread the word. That is 31 activities and I’m really fired up to get the job done.


Day 1


Today I sent a copy of Know your Prostate to Jeremy Hunt. Why?

  • Jeremy Hunt is a man.
  • This year he will celebrate his 50th birthday. Though Prostate Cancer occurs in younger men 99% of diagnoses occur after 50. Though there is no universal screening programme in the UK the PSA is freely available on requests at local doctors' surgeries throughout the country for men aged 50 and over. The test reveals the reading at the specific moment the blood is taken. It is a sensible move to consider scheduling repeat tests maybe every 3 or 5 years. Talk with your doctor for his opinion but if he is reluctant or discouraging make your own decision.
  • Jeremy Hunt is Secretary of State for Health. He controls financial distribution within the Nhs and leads on policy. I wanted to remind him Prostate Cancer is a significant risk to men's health.
  • Jeremy Richard Streynsham Hunt is wealthy and well educated, many cancers are more prevalent among the poor and disadvantaged. Prostate Cancer makes no discrimination based on lifestyle or standards of living. It is a mistake to think because you are fit, eat well and don't smoke or abuse alcohol you can forget this disease.
  • Prostate Cancer is a sly disease, it develops differently in virtually all cases. Too often, by the time symptoms become noticeable the cancer is well advanced and successful cures are no longer available. Forewarned is fore armed.

Monday, 29 February 2016

What is it?
Including the 3 collected today I’ve gathered 6 bags of rubbish since I last spoke to you, all of them on Northway. There’s an awful lot of rubbish on the sides of our main roads and no sooner is it cleared than more appears. Yet among all the polythene and plastic, the bottles and crisp bags nature continues to thrive. 100s of snails use the carrier bags and the take away trays as a shelter for the winter. This week I came across this perfect sphere of woven grasses, not quite as big as a football but unmistakeably a form of habitat. I'm ashamed I have no idea which creature creates such a fantastic home. If you are able to enlighten me I'd be very grateful.


The sun is shining giving the light and warmth which brings leaf buds out on the bushes and trees. On the sides of those same busy roads crocus, daffodils and banks of snowdrops are pushing their way into the light. The earth is showing its beauty after the devestating rains of the winter. Such a shame it has to compete for space with all our carelessly discarded refuse.



February accounts



Delighted to make use of the extra day to give you the February accounts. Delighted to say Clean up Prostate Cancer really got back on track as the sun took over.

19 bags of rubbish collected inc 2 from Conor

27p added to the pot

21 leaflets distributed

7 sessions

Tuesday, 23 February 2016

Mixed feelings

Warm sunshine as I persisted along Northway today, I have to say I’ll be very glad to complete the section I set out to cover, I need a change of scenery and preferably one which is not interrupted by endless hurtling traffic. So 2 more bags of rubbish cleared from the roadside with the added bonus of 22p picked up and now nestling in the Prostate Cancer UK pot. You see there is usually an upside.


Dog walkers were out in force and among them was a woman with a beautiful creamy coloured labrador. She accepted one of the 3 leaflets I handed out and said she would pass it on to her brother. Sadly, she lost her husband to a brain tumour. Poor thing must be feeling particularly low at the moment, she has been to 3 funerals this month all for people who died as a result of forms of cancer. I think she reacted well to the idea that by taking the Know your Prostate leaflet she was making a positive move in the fight to prevent more deaths from cancer. I keep repeating, if you have any concerns go to see your doctor, so many cancers caught early enough can be treated successfully. You just need to give medicine the chance to win.

Not much of this field of leeks left to gather but they were hard at it as I went about my business. I do like seeing signs of a food harvest, it is such a positive action. There is something so complete about it. I do like a good leek.

Sunday, 14 February 2016

Litter picking in the community

A busy weekend, managed to get out everyday. The blog is all about community action, firstly by spreading awareness of Prostate Cancer to as many people as possible. Secondly, helping with the ongoing task of clearing our roadsides of litter. This weekend brought both together as I joined a group clearing a path beside the railway line at Ormskirk Station. Merseytravel do regular collections there but they always appreciate a bit of help. We found the ubiquitous supermarket trolley and bags full of rubbish including the one I filled. I spoke to David about the Clean up Prostate Cancer project and was glad to hear he’d had a PSA done recently and been given the all clear.

Friday and Sunday I was back out on Northway, the A59, a major route through Lancashire. Picked up 4 bags there and brought the weekend tally of leaflets handed out to 9. One of the people who stopped to talk to me was Pat, she was very keen to learn about the project and took leaflets for her husband and  sons. Already owning a litter picker she felt inspired enough,  by my litter picking activities, to plan to do the same around the area where she lived including a nearby park. As Pat said, if we all went out and just looked after our own patch the problem would disappear. Good stuff, Pat. Of course, it would be far better if everyone took care to dispose of their rubbish properly then we could simply enjoy the view as we walked.

Unusually, for the vast majority of the areas I collect in there was a real issue with bags of dog poo on the stretch of road between Winifred Lane and St Michael Rd. This used to be a problem in many places locally a number of years ago but the local council found the simplest of solutions. In the worst areas they spray painted dog silouhettes on pavements with the logo “Bag it and bin it”. It was so effective! I’ve been in touch and suggested they repeat the exercise at this location. I estimate I collected more that 30 bags over the weekend and the trump was returning to the bags I’d collected on Friday to discover someone had left 2 dog poo bags on the grass beside them. You can see them on the photo. Grrr. I suppose it could have been worse they would probably have thrown them in the hedge as usual if my bags hadn’t been there! 

There's always an up side and I imagine someone is really missing this little chap.

Monday, 8 February 2016

Bullseye!

We are celebrating major milestones at Clean up Prostate Cancer and it feels soooo good.


100 bags of litter collected - tick 103 total inc 2 more from Conor

100 Know your Prostate leaflets given out - tick 106 total inc 3 yesterday

Prostate Cancer UK 10000 Challenge completed - tick 10074yds total


All of this has been achieved since last June and has been a real team effort. So thank you very much to all contributors.


The primary inspiration for the project is to raise awareness of Prostate Cancer and the knowledge that at least 106 men have been given access to good information about the disease is very satisfying. So far, I do not know if anyone has acted on that information nor that anyone has been diagnosed as a consequence. For me it does not matter. The important fact is more men now know about the risk of Prostate Cancer and that early action can really make a difference.

Then Clean up Prostate Cancer has also done its bit to help improve our World. Sounds odd but there is something very fulfilling in filling a bag with rubbish. I think people, quite rightly, don't pay attention to a clean space but they do notice one that is marred by rubbish. We've been doing our best helping to make the view the only thing you notice. 100 bags of rubbish is just the beginning.




Monday, 1 February 2016

January accounts are out


It's time for the January accounts to be published. Not the best but the numbers do bring us very close to a major milestone so here goes

9 bags collected inc 3 from Conor
2 leaflets given out
Income 1p (found)

So the drums can start warming up as the total of bags collected for the Clean up Prostate Cancer project to date reaches 97.

Sunday, 31 January 2016

More the merrier

Delighted to hear from Conor who has busy again on the verges of West Lancashire. He collected these 3 bulging bags yesterday. Good stuff. I met Conor by pure chance last year, he was out running along a section of road where I was doing a collection, he stopped to give me a hand which actually made me feel a bit emotional. I can be a bit of a softy at times. Chatting, he explained he quite often picked up a carrier bag of rubbish in the area around his home.

Since we met, I have received a message and a photo from Conor recording his litter collecting activities every month. That is the point I would like to emphasis. To make a difference it doesn’t take a huge amount of time or a massive effort. It has become abundantly clear to me the whole business of keeping the tide of unsightly and polluting litter at bay is collect repeat, collect repeat, collect repeat. The more of us who are doing it the greater the impact. It can be demoralising to have to keep going back but looking over ground you have cleared makes it all worthwhile for me. There is also a theory that cleaning up an area reduces littering, I’ll need some convincing on that one.

Looking back, one of the abiding images of the industrial North are the rows and rows of terraced houses. Linked very closely in my own mind are personal memories of women kneeling on the pavement scrubbing the step or wielding brooms sweeping the pavement outside their homes. I’m sure there are people who still continue this tradition. Of course, we have insulation, central heating, internet and constant hot water these days but sometimes strands of the past are worth hanging on to. Among them, I would suggest, is taking care of the World around you. (I know selective memory – belching chimneys and toxic working conditions etc but ...).

You may already be a litter picker but if you haven't considered getting involved it is so very satisfying and your really are making a difference. It doesn't have to be part of any scheme or group, please, just do your own thing.

Wednesday, 20 January 2016

Asking the question





Blue bagObviously, I don’t know the exact circumstances which brought this valeting accessory to a grass verge in south Lancashire but it just should not be there. Taking pride in your own possessions and personal space is very laudable but it should not ignore the responsibility of making sure you do not do so at the cost of others. Who is supposed to clear up the mess you create. It would be so simple to have put this protective sheet in the paper recycling bag/bin which every household in the UK has access to. (Image from http://www.westlancs.gov.uk/refuse-recycling/what-goes-in-my-bins,-bags-and-boxes.aspx which is where you will find a guide to West Lancashire's recycling scheme)

Glorious afternoon out on Northway. Only 1 bag, there were lots of bits and pieces, not much bulk. This blog is about Prostate Cancer but we use the medium of collecting litter to spread the word and just occasionally littering habits do stir the emotions. So today I come across evidence of double standards.





Moving on, our family said goodbye to a lovely lady yesterday. Auntie Pat was part of our extended family and she will be sadly missed. We joined the many family and friends who gathered to celebrate her life and found ourselves sat with Steve. During conversation he told us about his own Prostate Cancer experience. Yet another case of discovering the disease by chance. Thankfully all is going well after his radical prostatectomy. You do just have to keep asking the question.

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

Jeff goes out on the road

If any of you enjoy dipping into Soccer Saturday on Sky you will have noticed, throughout January, the panel are wearing Man of Men badges. I’m sorry to be so frivolous but they do look so good on the suit lapels of  Jeff and the team, really striking. From time to time I have noticed Tiss, Jeff and Paul displaying the badge but it was very noticeable when they all were wearing them so I decided to look into it.

Jeff Stelling will be heading a Men United March during which he will walk the 260 miles from Hartlepool to Wembley, essentially walking the equivalent to a marathon every day for 10 days. Any Jeff fan will know of his, at times despairing, dedication to Hartlepool United FC which explains why he chose Victoria Park as his starting point on March 21st 2016. From there his route will visit 30 football grounds  as he heads south. He knows he can rely on members of the Soccer Saturday team to share parts of his journey but he is also keen for people along the way to join in. Visit http://prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/jeff-stellings-men-united-march to find out more. Of course, you can also support Jeff's efforts by making donations.

There are hundreds of people, thousands, around the World raising funds and building awareness for Prostate Cancer.  I have no doubt that Prostate Cancer is one of the cancers which we can defeat which is partly why I am participating. Progress in diagnosis and treatment is announced regularly. Even so today we are still faced with 10,000 men in the UK losing their lives to the disease and so many more around the Globe.  It is so essential we continue the fight and Jeff's contribution can only build the momentum towards victory. 

Thursday, 7 January 2016

Northway, Aughton - yet again!

Inspired by an afternoon of glorious sunshine I headed back to Northway yesterday. On the surface the area around the layby looked OK, just ready for a bit of a tidy up but once I plunged into the surrounding undergrowth it didn’t take long to gather 3 bags of rubbish. Plastic bottles and crisp wrappers are the norm but given the opportunity to pull off the road a few drivers seem to feel the need to off load all kinds of bulkier rubbish like a case of empty beer bottles, plastic buckets, random bits of machinery and rubble. There is a great deal of satisfaction in clearing areas like this but in places not being able to reach the offending items means I wasn’t able to do the thorough job I always aim for. Still 3 bags of rubbish removed is better than none.


Usually when I give out the Know your Prostate quick guide people have an awareness of the disease but no close personal experience. Yesterday it was different. Sadly, the guy in the van who I approached has lost his father to Prostate Cancer. He accepted the leaflet and I hope he is able to pass it on to someone who is less familiar with the potential risks.

Taking a detour down Swan Lane (where I found this odd looking bit of equipment) I met Jackie and had a really good chat. Her Uncle was an early recipient of pioneering brachytherapy and more recently another relative has been diagnosed. She was pleased to accept a leaflet for her husband. Sometimes it really is helpful to have all the information explained clearly for you to absorb in your own time. As it turns out Jackie also tries to keep her eye on rubbish during her walks and picks up when she has a minute to spare. Good stuff. Thank you for your words of support.

Tuesday, 5 January 2016

It's 2016 - time to get going

Totally determined to get out for the first time this year today so I headed back to Northway, Aughton. Conditions weren’t brilliant and I realised how much I’d taken those dry summer outings for granted. Very soggy underfoot but given that the section of the road was actually flooded just after Christmas and it has hardly stopped raining since that wasn’t much of a surprise. I managed to gather 2 bags of rubbish working back from the county border toward Ormskirk. Just the start of a very good week in which I plan to make at least 2 more collections.


I’m never bothered about appearances. I tidy up quite well but what my hair does after it has been brushed in the morning is its own business. Today I may have been more aware of such things after seeing Simon Rimmer talking about how restaurants place diners like products, beautiful people in the window etc to enhance the restaurant’s image. So, as I pulled off my builders’ gloves and yanked the hood on my waterproof jacket on over the woolly hat which was keeping my ears warm this afternoon I did think I should pay more attention to style. I just had the tiny thought passersby may actually want to avoid me. Do I more closely resemble a bag lady than a friendly, approachable, slightly eccentric member of the community making my contribution? Thing is I stopped wearing make up because I kept forgetting and rubbed my eye time after time! Is there any hope even if I wanted to dress things up? I mean I’m collecting rubbish.

 

Friday, 1 January 2016

New Year Accounts

Happy and Healthy New Year 2016

Clean up has so much to be thankful for in 2015 especially the warm and enthusiastic support given by all of you. To round off the year neatly I'm delighted to present the December Accounts which really are so much better than I anticipated.


15 Bags rubbish collected inc 6 from Conor
13 Leaflets given out
50 Booklets sent to libraries for distribution
1 Poster
£1.61 Income
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