As three Street Pride groups celebrate their 10th birthdays, there are calls for more volunteers to help keep Fenland clean and tidy.

Cambs Times: Chatteris Street Pride group is asking people to join them on a litterpick on March 4.Chatteris Street Pride group is asking people to join them on a litterpick on March 4. (Image: Archant)

To mark their decade of clean-up activities, two groups – Parson Drove and Chatteris – have been presented with Handi Carts, a new piece of environmental kit designed to make their lives easier.

The lightweight and easily manoeuvrable carts have two bags that enable people to separate and sort litter into general waste and items for recycling. They can hold more than 32 kilograms of rubbish.

Councillor Peter Murphy, Fenland District Council’s cabinet member responsible for the environment, joined the Parson Drove group when they tried out their cart for the first time.

He said: “Groups like this have done an incredible amount over the years for their particular communities and it’s always particularly good to see children helping out. They obviously enjoyed using the new cart.

“All our volunteers with Street Pride, In Bloom and the various Friends groups do a wonderful job for Fenland and long may that continue.

“At the same time, I know that they would all welcome more helpers - the more, the better.”

Whittlesey Street Pride is the third group that has been going strong for 10 years. They will be marking the anniversary with a social evening at Childers on April 22; they are also planning to install a new bench along The Bower.

There are also plans to set up new Street Pride groups in Doddington and Elm to add to the 12 that already exist around the district.

Two residents in Doddington are planning a litterpick on March 4 ahead of plans to create a formal group.

In Elm, posters have gone up to see how many people would be interested.

For more information, call Rebecca Robinett, Fenland District Council’s Street Pride co-ordinator, on 01354 654321 or email rrobinett@fenland.gov.uk