ALMOST 60 locations in and around Musselburgh have been ‘adopted’ by litter pickers.

The ‘Adopt a Street’ campaign, launched by the environmental group Love Musselburgh, has been gathering momentum with a band of volunteers offering to keep streets, parks and beaches rubbish free.

Melanie Roccio, of Love Musselburgh, said those involved are given litter-picking sticks and clean up their ‘adopted’ area whenever they wish.

She said: “It’s a very casual arrangement: there are no minimum or maximum number of times to pick and no targets to reach. I wanted this to be a zero pressure thing.

“During the Covid crisis, I’ve not actively encouraged litter picking but am grateful to those who continue to do so.”

She urged more volunteers to step forward to ‘Adopt a Street’ in the future.

She said: “The Covid situation has been devastating. But the sense of community has definitely increased and more people are looking out for each other, whether that’s friends, neighbours or strangers.

“There’s an openness to talk with and smile at others and a real desire to use small, local businesses that may be struggling at this time.

"I also love the creativity that has been visible throughout the town in the form of chalk drawings, painted stones and rainbows in windows.”

She added: “I naively thought there would be less litter during lockdown but it seems that disposable gloves and masks have replaced the usual fast food chain packaging.

“Adopting a street is a great way to get out and about, meet people and do something good in the community.

“We have nearly 60 individuals, families and businesses signed up now but I’d love to see that list continue to grow.

“Once lockdown ends it would be great to know there are even more areas being cared for.”

Councillor John Williamson said Love Musselburgh were doing a wonderful job encouraging locals to take pride in their community and to help make the town a cleaner, greener place for all.

“The Adopt a Street initiative is a great way of letting people do their bit by taking on as much litter picking in a local street, or part of a street, as they feel able to do,” he added.

“They can also adopt a local park or bit of beach as well. Of course there would be no litter problem if people disposed of their litter properly either by taking it home or putting it in a litter bin.”

Councillor Andy Forrest said: “There has always been a working partnership between East Lothian Council’s landscape and countryside department and Love Musselburgh.

“Melanie Roccio and all the volunteers are really committed. We do anything we can to support them and they support the council.”

Local residents took to social media to give their views on the campaign: Robin Wallace said: “I joined up because I’m fed up of seeing rubbish on our streets. Despite the plastic problem in our ocean, I still find bottles everywhere, even close to bins. So, I wanted to help, even if just small.”

Susan Stevens added: “I’ve adopted Denholm Road which has the path at the back of it and a playpark off it. “The biggest issue I’ve had is broken glass which gets smashed in amongst the trees where teenagers sit and all around the power house in the park. Also, litter caught in the bushes at the play area are from recycling boxes.”

Mel Hindley said online that her family adopted their street and her little boy loved nothing more than going up and down with his litter picker!

“We have a charity based on our little street who bought him a gift to say thanks when he had been doing it a while – they hadn’t realised that some of their service users were sadly also serial litter droppers and that a five-year-old was cleaning up after them!” she wrote.

“My wee one was delighted and it felt like a lovely way of illustrating that good things happen when you do something for others. We think the campaign is a great way to help people take pride in where they live; it’s just a shame that a minority think it’s OK to fly tip and drop rubbish where we live.”

While Pauline Clark, of Park Drive, Wallyford, said: “The strip in front of my house seems to attract litter: cans and bottles which are dangerous as some children play in that area. My son quite enjoys the challenge [of tidying it up].”

To get involved in Adopt a Street go to www.facebook.com/lovemusselburgh