It’s great therapy for me ... and my dog

WHEN Nita Pearson first started picking up rubbish she found around her village while walking her dog, she was regarded as slightly odd.

But that was 15 years ago and, thanks to campaigns such as the Great British Spring Clean, attitudes have most definitely changed.

Nita says: ‘In those days I was a lone litter-picker, but it’s great that so many people volunteer to join me on my litter picks now.’

She helped found the Friends of Thringstone action group in her Leicestershire village and it now has 150 members and 1,600 followers on Facebook, who get together for regular clean-ups around the area.

Nita, 67, and her faithful border collie Woodie, pictured left, go out every morning to clear litter and for Nita it has become a form of therapy.

She was forced to give up her career in leisure services with the local council in 2012 when the pressure of work became too much.

‘Life’s too short to have to endure the kind of stress I was under, and going out litter-picking with Woodie was the best possible means of destressing for me,’ she says.

‘It’s been good for Woodie too – he used to hate people, but he’s so friendly now. I know an awful lot more people than I used to, and I feel I’m contributing to society.

‘We will go out whatever the weather. Between us we pick up more than 70 bags of rubbish a month.’

Last year Nita was awarded a British Empire Medal for her services to her community, and Woodie received a commendation from the PDSA animal charity for his litter-picking efforts.

Nita says she couldn’t be happier. ‘I used to be “the woman with the bags” and now I get hugged by strangers!’ she laughs.