Birmingham workers turnout for city centre clean-up
Birmingham workers donned their high-vis jackets and turned litter-busting heroes to help clean up the streets for thousands of extra summer shoppers.
Kitted out with litter-picking tools, workers from John Lewis, Primark, Selfridges, Metro Bank and M&S took part in a day of community action across the city centre.
More than 30 bags of rubbish were collected as part of the project.
Stickers and graffiti on lampposts, bins and street furniture were also removed by the volunteers and their store managers.
The scheme was supported by Retail BID Birmingham, the Business Improvement District for the city centre shopping area and members of Birmingham City Council’s street cleaning team.
The litter-pickers spent a morning dealing with waste hotspots, aided by Retail BID’s Business Patrol Officers. All equipment was provided by Birmingham City Council.
The BID recently launched a new programme of street deep-cleansing to remove grime and dirt from pedestrian areas.
Among the areas washed were the recently-installed flagstones outside the Apple Store on New Street, near the new Primark on High Street and paving on John Bright Street near popular bars and restaurants.
Lisa Williams, Deputy Chair of Retail BID Birmingham and Head of Branch at John Lewis & Partners, said: “John Lewis Partners joined a team from Selfridges, Marks and Spencer, Primark and Metro Bank to work alongside the BID team and city centre cleaning operatives to help clean up our city.
“We all work and travel through our city and have seen close up the challenge of keeping our streets clear and clean and were keen to get involved. In volunteering in this community project we really want to help restore the pride in our fabulous city and help to keep it beautiful.”
