Students lead the way in community clean-up

Students and staff from New City College took to the streets around their local neighbourhoods and organised litter picks as part of the Where We Live – Keeping Havering Tidy initiative.

The litter picks, held at Ardleigh Green and Rainham campuses, saw volunteers collect rubbish from the roadsides, pavements and grass areas, filling large black sacks with discarded bottles, wrappers, cans and cardboard.

Local Councillor David Godwin joined Deputy Principal Jon Briggs and the Ardleigh Green students to collect an impressive 11 bags of rubbish, leaving a positive impact on the local environment.

Councillor Godwin praised the students’ enthusiasm and teamwork, saying: “It’s incredibly inspiring to see young people take such an active role in preserving and enhancing their environment. Their positive energy and respect for one another and staff members was evident from start to finish.”

He added: “I enjoyed working alongside these students. It’s truly refreshing to witness the new generation actively caring for their local area and making a tangible difference.”

The second litter pick, held around NCC’s Construction and Engineering Centre in Rainham was also well attended, with students, staff, managers, Deputy Principal Catherine Foley and Student Union members all getting involved.

Armed with litter pickers and high-vis vests, the group stepped up to the challenge, collecting eight bags of rubbish and generally tidying up the surrounding area.

Everyone agreed the events were a great success and had brought a shared sense of achievement and pride in the local environment.

Natasha Bryce, Lead Pastoral Tutor for Ardleigh Green and Rainham Campuses, said it was great to see the students coming together to work for the local community.

She said: “It was fantastic to see such strong engagement from the students and their community spirit in action. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the events enjoyable and impactful. Let’s continue to take pride in our surroundings and keep the momentum going for future community initiatives.”

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