Harehills residents say big 'thank you' to community litter champion

Samuel Charlesworth, from Nowell Terrace decided last year that enough was enough, and decided to tackle the litter problems in his neighbourhood head-on.

It's the kind of public-spirited deeds that have gained the respect and admiration from his neighbours, who recently returned the favour with a card and a £15 gift voucher.

Samuel, who works as an Openreach engineer, said: "I am out and about all the time, and I know Harehills gets a bad rap for being not a nice place to live.

"Kids play out in the street, so I wanted to make it a bit nicer - I don't want to live in a tip.

"My dad does litter picking. He is 82 and he has the time and energy to do it, so I thought 'I'll get a black bin bag and do it myself and clean up the streets'."

So, in the summer of 2021, armed with a bin bag and litter picker, Samuel took to the streets and decided to make a difference.

"You want to show an example to the kids around here," he added. "It might encourage people to litter less and keep it nice and tidy for people."

It was this week when, late at night, Samuel heard the flap of the letterbox, before receiving a pleasant surprise.

The letter read: "As residents of Nowell Terrace and Nowell Grove, we want you to know we have seen your commitment in trying to tidy up our streets and would like to show some appreciation for what you have done.

"Acknowledging someone who is passionate should be noticed."

Samuel, 35, said: "I wasn't really expecting it.

"I do enjoy the appreciation. The fact that people feel I made a difference was more than enough for me.

"I want to get more involved with Litter Free Leeds and become more of an advocate for them in my area."

If you would like to find out more and get involved with litter picking in your area, visit litterfreeleeds.co.uk.