The RiverWel Residents Association (RWRA) Green Team spent their day on Monday, January 26, cleaning up along Jim Fouché Drive, removing litter and cutting back overgrown plants that had taken over pavements and roadside areas.

According to the RWRA chairperson, Newton Kemp, this clean-up is part of ongoing work by RWRA to care for public spaces in their area. The RA does the cleanup initiatives to keep the streets clean and maintain the environment by preventing bigger problems from developing over time.

The team worked along the busy road, successfully clearing the walkways which had been blocked by overgrown vegetation, making it unsafe for residents and people walking past there. Many bags of rubbish filled with the grass and weeds that were removed from the verges and open spaces were collected. By the end of the clean-up, the stretch looked noticeably cleaner and easier to walk through.

The clean-up showed how regular maintenance can make a quick difference. The parts of the area that had been covered up were restored back to their beauty in a few hours through the team effort of the workers, making it safe again.

Newton encouraged people to take part in future clean-ups, report problem areas, or support the work by joining RWRA. He also shared that the team needs more tools and membership helps fund tools, equipment and larger projects that they carry out across the area. By the time the team packed up, Jim Fouché Drive was cleaner, safer and more welcoming, serving as a clear result of community action on the ground.