A King’s Lynn man is spearheading a community town ‘clean up’ campaign.

Martin Gardner, founder of the town’s Army of Helpers, had hoped to launch what he intended to be a “large-scale” clean-up of all areas, bringing residents, businesses, schools and organisations together to “improve our town and strengthen community pride”.

However, after receiving lots of offers of support but not much response from organisations, he has decided to scale-back the project and concentrate on one area as a start.

“We are going to scale it back, so we are going to do Fairstead first and people can nominate other areas after that if they’re interested,” said Mr Gardner.

The Fairstead clean-up is planned for Sunday, March 1 starting at midday from the Fairstead Community Shop at Centre Point.

Mr Gardner said people can help for as long or little as they like.

He is hoping West Norfolk Council will provide litter-picking equipment and high-vis jackets.

Mr Gardner put leaflets through the doors of business and organisations announcing his intentions – hoping to get their support for the intended major project to “restore community pride”.

Asked what his motivation is for the town clean-up, Mr Gardner said it was because he is “sick of the state of parts of the town”.

“People are lazy, people don’t care,” he said.

Just a few days after spreading the word about the intended clean-up, Army of Helpers discovered a dead, decayed animal in fly-tipped rubbish at Fairstead’s Silver Green.

The land where the animal was found, turned out to be owned by Freebridge Community Housing which then removed the decomposed animal – believed to have been a cat.

Emma Brock, who runs the Fairstead Community Shop, said there will be tea and coffee at the shop and toilet facilities for those taking part in the litter pick.

Emma, who lives on the estate, is helping as part of the clean-up.

She said: “I’m always up for helping the community.”

Emma said there are certain areas at Fairstead which seem to be prey to fly-tippers.

Hotspots are the wooded areas and garages where household items are often dumped.

Emma said sometimes larger items such as fridge-freezers, chairs, bed bases, mattresses, pushchairs and garden rubbish are also fly-tipped.

She feels people can be confused as to owns the land and who to report fly-tipped rubbish to which can be why it is left and not cleared away.

“The council and Freebridge both own areas and I think sometimes people don’t know whose land it is,” said Emma, adding the original idea to tackle all the town at once was a “bit
ambitious” and it was suggested to just do one area each month.

The Army of Helpers’ leaflets say the clean-up is to “build a cleaner, stronger King’s Lynn” and demonstrate “what is possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose”.

“The event is about more than litter picking – it is about rebuilding pride, connection and shared responsibility for our local environment,” the leaflet says.

Army of Helpers is a community-focused support service provider offering a range of cleaning services.

Anyone interested in the Fairstead clean-up can get in touch via email at: armyofhelpersuk@gmail.com