THE Friends of Ilkley Moor Litter Pickers Group is celebrating the arrival of their new, superior litter picking equipment bought, thanks to a generous grant of over £700 from Bradford Council.

All the volunteers have now been provided with ‘Friends of Ilkley Moor’ hi-vis vests, heavy duty litter pickers and hoops to hold open litter bags.

As one volunteer said, after trying out the new pickers and hoops, “they’re a game changer”.

But the FoIM volunteers are not just litter picking on the Moor. They have been fanning out throughout the town.

One pair of very active volunteers have been picking litter along The Grove and around the bandstand almost every day.

Others have been along Denton Road and Middleton Woods. Another pair have been regularly active in Ben Rhydding.

“Whenever we are notified of a problem, our litter picking volunteers will be there within hours, clearing up the mess,” said Owen Wells, Chairman of The Friends of Ilkley Moor.

“We are immensely proud of our volunteers and their hard work in keeping Ilkley litter free. And we are grateful to Bradford Council for their generosity, allowing us to re-equip them with better equipment.

“During lockdown there has been an increase in litter arising from overflowing bins, take away coffee cups and takeaway food wrappers, but the FoIM Litter Pickers Group has been at the forefront of keeping on top of the problem.

“When Covid restrictions allow, we intend to arrange a social event to thank our volunteers and show them how much Ilkley appreciates all that they have been doing,” said Owen Wells.

For further information about the volunteers contact Owen Wells on 07951 436126 or visit ilkleymoor.org/

The Friends of Ilkley Moor is a voluntary group composed of people who love Ilkley Moor and want to see it conserved and improved for future generations.