Community rallies round to tackle 'neglected' Glossop site

Friday, 30 July 2021 11:13

A local community group answered the call to help clear a popular site in Glossop which had become blighted by litter and fly tipping.

Many families visit the pond near the Wren Nest Mill retail park at the Glossop Brook site to shop and feed the ducks.

Concerns were raised by members of the community on the Nextdoor social media platform about maintaining the site and local walker Jane Fantom got in touch with a property management company which oversees the pond in a call for action.

The company have since cleared and partially dredged the culvert, while Jane also enlisted the help of Glossopdale Litter Ninjas, who carried out a clean-up operation to ensure the site is looking much better.

Jane said: "Glossop is a vibrant community with access to beautiful, open moorland and rivers. It is possible to enjoy superb views on foot within minutes but our green spaces and rivers are being exposed to fly tippers and inconsiderate littering which impacts on the environment and wildlife.

"One of our local beauty spots includes Glossop Brook, which joins the Wren Nest Mill Pond and Mill Race towards Shrewsbury Street. As a keen walker and regular visitor to the pond, I became aware of its increasingly poor state due to fly tipping, littering and general neglect. It was badly silted and full of plastic, bottles, cans and lumps of wood.

"The Mill Pond is home to an array of wildlife, particularly ducks and moorhens who are currently nesting. However, the maintenance of the pond has been sadly overlooked, posing a risk to its feathered residents and wildlife. The pond, owned by a London-based investment business and overseen by a local property management company, is not part of the established Wren Nest Conservation Area despite its shared heritage and importance to the cotton industry during the 1800s."

Other members of the community shared their concerns about the pond online and contact was made with the property management company to highlight the issues. Further help to clear the pond was then quickly offered by the Glossopdale Litter Ninjas.

Jane added: "True to their name and superhero qualities, the Ninjas and two new recruits turned up to clear the pond and culvert. The culvert is responsible for drainage and water flow but it was almost completely immersed in mud and litter.

"These unsung heroes are passionate about the environment and quietly work on behalf of our community to preserve it and protect our wildlife. The Ninjas are dynamic and determined. They arrived at 7am in waders and wellies with all the necessary equipment and worked tirelessly to remove an astonishing amount of wood, plastic, cans and bottles from the culvert and pond.

"The work of the Ninjas resulted in an immediate improvement in water flow and a prompt response from the property management company. They have further cleared and partially dredged the culvert. The campaign continues to improve the condition of the Mill Pond and prevent further littering. The ducks must be delighted!"

Local people can also make a difference by joining the Glossopdale Litter Ninjas to help keep the community clean and tidy.

They have a Facebook group which you can get involved in here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/306058487840445.