| Frank patrols his route
twice a day and cheerfully admits that he enjoys every
moment of the job.
“We begin outside one
of the three local Post Offices in the morning and talk
to people, reassuring them with our presence.”
As we’d already moved through Firs
Hill flats and onto Scott Road a woman under stress
approached Frank. Rendering her the assistance of his
listening ear we went on towards Bruce’s shop
at the end of Scott Road. It was cold and senior warden
Gaynor Naylor was at the beginning of patch 5 and waiting
for us to join her.
On the corner of Ellesmere Road North
a large disused mattress had been leaned against a wall.
As we stood close by, Gaynor explained that this began
with one item and had increased to a small tip over
a few days. Now debris, tyres, broken washing machines,
fridges, push bikes and other disused items had been
dumped alongside. A lady from across the street came
out to complain as the Street Force van that seemed
to have been tailing us from around Pitsmoor Post Office
reappeared.
“Here they are,” explained
Gaynor to the lady. “This rubbish will be getting
moved for you today.”
As we moved off towards patch 4, which
is Carwood, we caught sight of four or five youths,
who seemed to be totally educationally-excluded. Gaynor,
also aware of these youths, explained that the wardens
have developed quite a rapport with them, but all in
all it is another issue that needs some focus.
As we moved on through Lyons Street we
began to see the major fly-tipping that has and still
is taking place. “Some people have been caught
by us dumping around here and fined very heavily for
it,” explained Gaynor “We also work closely
with the Neat Team which is the refuse collection force.”
We walked through Maxwell Street and saw
the need for more major litter picking days as we move
close to the summer season. In Earsham Street, Gaynor
explained how the back of Atlas Street had become a
place for local firms and shops to dump rubbish and
even asbestos, which she pointed out to us. Back onto
Maxwell then Sutherland Street; again the fly-tipping
and litter strewed thoughout the grass and vegetation.
We left Gaynor as she continued her patrol
towards Spital Hill and we made our cold way back towards
the office. I realised that the job the wardens were
doing extended further than what we had seen and I looked
forward to a second walk about with our Burngreave Community
Wardens, which will be the night patrol.
To report fly-tipping, graffiti,
abandoned or burnt-out cars, vandalism and rubbish contact
Burngreave Community Wardens on 272 5057. There is a
24-hour answering machine which can record any problems
when no one is available in the office.
|
On
Tuesday 14th February along with my trusted photographer
Carl, I spent a cold morning on one of many routine
patrols with our newly-appointed Community Wardens.
Outside Pitsmoor Post Office we met up with warden Frank,
and we began with what was his regular morning patrol
of patch 10.
