Man on a mission: Litter picker going above and beyond to clean up Lincoln village

A man from Skellingthorpe has committed to cleaning up litter in his local area with the help of the community and a local business.

Brian Smith, 67, started litter picking in January 2020 when they saw the mess that was being left by fly-tippers and litterers in Skellingthorpe.

He and his wife Wendy donated 40 litter pickers in an attempt to encourage locals to get involved, as well as posting on village Facebook groups.

Brian and Wendy Smith have been collecting piles of rubbish from the Skellingthorpe area. | Photo: Stirlin

Since then, Brian has been at the front of group clean-ups, filling hundreds of bags with rubbish, and hopes it can inspire more community spirit in the area.

He said: “As well as caring for the environment, we wanted to improve habitats and corridors for wildlife. We also want to encourage and educate the younger generation.

It isn’t just litter that Brian deals with, he also collects large fly-tipping items such as cones and tyres. | Photo: Stirlin

“We have got kids involved during the lockdown, and they loved it as it was something different and positive to concentrate on.

“Not only is it good for the environment and wildlife, it is a purpose to exercise and get families involved in doing something positive to give back to the community.”

Brian collecting his new litter-picking gear from Stirlin Developments in Lincoln. | Photo: Stirlin

Brian was aided in his mission by Stirlin Developments in Lincoln, who donated specialist litter-pickers, bag hoops and hi-vis jackets for Brian and others to use.

Stirlin Developments in Lincoln donated specialist litter-picking equipment to help Brian out. | Photo: Stirlin

Stirlin’s donation included a 96 inch litter-picker for hard to reach areas such as dykes and rivers, and Brian was full of praise for the support he was given.

“The support from local businesses and residents has been overwhelming. I am so grateful that Stirlin have supplied specialist equipment to help me.

Brian said he was inspired by seeing “shocking amounts of litter” on his walks. | Photo: Stirlin

“I never expected this to gather pace like it has. With the continued support and the more volunteers that get involved, we have an opportunity to make a real difference in our local area.”