THREE school children proved to be the pick of the bunch after a town’s MP rewarded them for their tidy traits.
The pupils from West Park Academy, Darlington, were presented with special certificates by MP Peter Gibson for collecting litter on their way to and from school and often at weekends.
A special whole-school assembly heard how David Braybrook and his sons Lewy, 11, and Ollie, eight, and his grandson Blake, four, collected rubbish from between Auckland Oval and the school in Alderman Leach Drive.
Principal Sam Hirst said: “On their way to school you can see them litter picking. Over the years they have picked up enough litter to fill hundreds of bags and are a huge inspiration to us all.
“As a school, each year we take part in the Great British Spring Clean. Our children take pride in their community and want to make a positive difference to it. Litter-picking is a simple action that anyone can do to make an immediate and visible difference to their area and the children enjoy being out an about. We are all about being positive and making a difference and these children have certainly done that.”
Mr Gibson added: “Litter picking is something I feel passionately about and I’m delighted the children have done so much to make sure our community is clean and tidy. They have been leading by example and I’m thrilled to be able to recognise their brilliant work.”
Mr Braybrook said they started picking litter during lockdown to stay active and they had continued ever since. “It is lovely to be recognised,” he said. “I am so proud of the boys and I can see that they are over the moon to receive the awards which will inspire them for the future.
“Wherever we go they hate to see litter and they are amazed to see the rubbish back on an afternoon that they have cleared up just that morning.”