Clean it up; PUPILS HELP TO CLEAR ESTATE OF LITTER AND RUBBISH

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), July 11, 2008

Byline: By AMY HUNT

AN ESTATE has been given a good spring clean thanks to pupils from a local school.

Youngsters from Hookergate School in Gateshead joined people living on the Highfield Estate to clean up the area.

Tonnes of household and garden rubbish was removed in just one day of hard work.

Skips were put on the streets for homeowners to fill with waste from their homes and gardens.

Children, along with workers from the Gateshead Housing Company, Morrison Facilities Services and other local organisations also took part in litter picks in the streets.

Advice on recycling, fire safety, pet care, local community projects, Gateshead Council services and housing was also on offer to residents.

Bill Fullen, chief executive of the Gateshead Housing Company, said: "We are delighted the event was such a success and that so many local people were involved.

"As well as spending more than pounds 1m a week on improving homes we want to make the estates and neighbourhoods that our customers live in somewhere to be proud of.

"This day was a great example of us working with Morrison Facilities Services, other organisations and local residents to make Gateshead an even better place to live."

The clean-up day was organised and supported by the Gateshead Housing Company, Morrison Facilities Services, Gateshead Council, Northumbria Police, Tyne and Wear Fire Service, Highfield Community Association, Hookergate School, local councillors and residents.

Your Chronicle is organising a Great Big Litter Pick as part of the Go Green campaign.

On August 27 we want people around the North East to give up some of their free time to clear up rubbish from streets in their local area.

Councils on Tyneside will be organising litter picks on the day in which families will be able to take part.

And we will be encouraging firms around the region to organise their own events.

For more information about the Great Big Litter Pick, keep reading Go Green in the Chronicle and Chronicle Extra and online at www.chroniclelive.co.uk/gogreen

CAPTION(S):

LITTER HUNT: Brian Creasey of the Gateshead Housing Company, (top left), and James Moody of Morrison FS, (bottom right), with children from Hookergate School, while, right, Nichola Cowen, of the Housing Company, tells pupils Joanne Foley about an estate tour