Crosby Wombles was founded in 2002 after solo litter-picker, Dawn D’Auvin, made a Facebook post seeking others in the area that would like to join her on her mission for a litter-free community. Jacqui Armistead was quick to reply, offering to help Dawn, and thus the Crosby Wombles was born.
Crosby Wombles is a group of nearly 600 likeminded people who volunteer to keep Crosby and Thornton litter-free. Volunteers range in age from accompanied primary aged children, those doing The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, guides or scouts, workplace volunteer days, to retired members of the community.
Dawn D’Auvin, Co-Founder of Crosby Wombles, said: “We offer talks to schools and community groups, arrange group litter picks and support those who wish to do individual litter picking by loaning equipment and offering safety advice.
“We have an established volunteer reward scheme supported by three local independent coffee shops who enable us to offer our volunteers a free cuppa once they have completed a litter pick. During 2024, we began to appreciate even more the social connections our volunteers valued and we were able to record that impact recently at a well-attended AGM.”
On the back of the feedback regarding the value of social interactions when litter picking with the Crosby Wombles, the group has organised a monthly ‘Cuppa, Cake and Chat’ which is held at Dace, a local independent café, and Satterthwaites, an independent bakehouse, on alternating months.
Dawn continued: “We also acknowledged that not everyone is physically able to litter pick so we wanted to create other inclusive opportunities for people to gather and make new friends. As a result, we now have monthly groups for crafting, guerilla gardening, and a book club at no cost to those attending.
“Thanks to our generous grant from David Wilson Homes and the generosity of the aforementioned cafes, we can provide refreshments at no cost to our members. This ensures that there are no financial barriers for anyone wishing to attend.”
According to a study conducted by Keep Britain Tidy, over 90% of locations surveyed throughout England are blighted by litter, with only nine of every 100 locations visited being deemed litter-free. Over three-quarters (77%) of people believe the country’s litter problem has got worse in recent years, with seven in 10 now noticing litter in their local area daily.
Claire Jarvis, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes North West, said: “As a leading homebuilder, it is really important that we support the community in the areas in which we build.
“Crosby Wombles offers a fantastic service to the local area by helping to combat the growing crisis of litter in England. We wish its volunteers all the best as they continue in their betterment of the Crosby and Thornton area, and we would love to encourage even more people to support their local community where possible.”
David Wilson Homes is currently building a range of properties near to Crosby Wombles in Thornton at its Sundial Place development on Lydiate Lane.
For more information about the charity and how to volunteer, visit the website at Crosby Wombles.
For details about any developments in the area, visit the website at David Wilson Homes in Merseyside.