82-year-old Tadley litter pickers honoured with community award

A Tadley couple who have been married for 60 years have been presented with Good Citizen awards in recognition of their voluntary litter picking around the town.

Ron Andrews, 82, first began picking up rubbish with a litter stick in 2004 while on weekend walks, before his wife, Maureen, also 82, joined him at the beginning of the pandemic.

In a special event on February 13, the Andrews were presented with the council’s Good Citizen award after they were nominated by a member of the public, who had spotted their work in the community and thought they deserved recognition for it.

The award took place in front of the entire family, after their son Desmond gathered everyone at their home under the pretext of celebrating the Andrews’ 80th birthdays and sixtieth wedding anniversary after Covid had put a halt to any festivities at the time.

Mr Andrews, who was born in Tadley in 1939, said the award “came right out of the blue”.

He said: “I was very shocked to be honest with you.

“My son knew about it, we had a lot of family here and we were sitting around chatting – and then he said: ‘Right, everyone in the front room.’

“Then this lady appeared with a bouquet of flowers.”

Mr Andrews, who worked in construction before taking a part time job as caretaker at Ashford Hill Primary School aged 65 until Covid struck, said he and Maureen picked up litter wherever their walks took them.

He said the duo found hotspots they frequently visited, and walked either side of the road to cover twice the area.

He continued: “I just got fed up.

“When you go abroad, like Austria, you see there’s no litter anywhere and when we came back, it’s a bit of a mess.

“People really appreciate what we’re doing.”

Mrs Andrews added: “I was shocked and absolutely speechless – I thought I hadn’t done anything.

“We used to moan about the rubbish.

“We said it was dreadful so one day we spoke and said why don’t we do something about it?

“It helped us to get through Covid because otherwise we’d have just been shut in here all the time.

“People appreciate it – they even stopped in their cars. They said you’re doing a brilliant job and you shouldn’t need to be doing it.”

The award was presented by Tadley Town Council chair Avril Burdett, who said it had been “lovely” to be part of the award.

She said: “I think it’s brilliant because not only do they make the place look better, it’s sending out a message to people that see them which says “don’t drop your litter”.

“It’s also saying actually there’s something you can do about keeping your neighbourhood safer, prettier and tidier.

“These aren’t handed out too often.

“It’s only the second I’ve done since I started my term of office in May.

“It’s something you have to earn, not something that’s given out willy-nilly, which makes it more special.

“They’re a thank you from the council and the community.”

The last Good Citizen award was given in November to Tadley residents Vicky and Alan Braseby, who have been running an Age Concern lunch club in the town since 2017.

The club was a way for the Brasebys to give back to the community, meeting every Tuesday at the Ambrose Allen Centre to provide the local elderly with a two-course meal and a place to socialise.