PRIDE OF THEIR ALLEY!
Clean-up campaign couple oversee site transformation
ALLEYWAYS can quickly become unattractive and uninviting places when they become overgrown with weeds and a magnet for fly-tippers.
But determined Hartshill couple Sarah Bratt and Thomas Taphouse have cleaned up the one near their home – much to the delight of their grateful neighbours.
Forty-six-year-old Sarah, has made an effort to maintain the stretch in Coronation Road ever since she moved there in 2006.
And since Thomas, aged 35, moved in during 2020, his landscaping and gardening knowledge have helped to create even better results.
The alley has seen all kinds of rubbish dumped there, including mattresses, prams, door frames and a tent.
Sarah said: “There’s always people dumping at the end of the alleyway, as soon as one person does it everyone does it. Because it’s a thoroughfare, it does attract anti-social behaviour.
“When I first moved here, we had kids out playing, people leaving their gates open. The houses have so much character. We strim away what’s there and remove the rubbish.
“Then we tried to take it a step further this year by putting the wild flowers down the edges.
“We’ve got a few neighbours who can’t do the work so we don’t mind. We’ve got elderly neighbours, hospital workers who work shifts, and so you can’t expect people to come and help. We’ve got Steve Preece, he’s just retired and he comes out with his shovel and helps so much.
“It normally goes on for about three or four weeks, not continuously, just weekends and the odd weekday. Tom puts the hours in, he’s got a background in landscape gardening.
“The other neighbours they’re so appreciative. They always bring a beer round for Tom, everybody is really grateful.”
Sarah says the council has also responded to reports of fly-tipping. Meanwhile Cubis Systems, the company Tom works for, have indicated they will donate towards further maintenance.
Neighbours have praised the pair. Sisters Ann Cawley and Janet Haining, originally from Meir, are grateful for their work for the community.
Janet said: “It was like a jungle and the rubbish encourages rats. We’ve had beds, mattresses, Christmas trees, even toys. That’s what the tip is for! People are just idle.”
Ann added: “It gets really overgrown, Tom’s put down some seeds for wildflowers to combat the weeds. They’re both very generous for doing the work. We often take a beer round to say thank you.”