by Claire Stock, Deputy Manager
We were talking about how we could help people locally and get involved with what’s happening in Aylesbury. I found out about the Aylesbury Wombles, you see them all around the town.
The group was started by a 14 year girl who wanted to make a difference to her local area. They are in Aylesbury every weekend and also go to festivals. They will always be there!
I thought James and Chris who live in the area would enjoy going, so I messaged the Wombles on Facebook and they said just come along. There's an event tab on the website saying where they are going to be.
Now we have all the gear! We have hi-vis jackets that say Aylesbury Wombles on it so we can promote as we work. They give us gloves, pickers and a bag.
James and Chris show us they are happy to be there, smiling and getting stuck in. They go to a lot of different events and also local parks and rivers, parts of the countryside that have been fly-tipped, endless amounts of rubbish from so many different parts of town.
But helping out means they enjoy meeting people they wouldn’t normally meet and also feeling part of something bigger and having a bit of a purpose. Other Wombles greet them. They're all getting to know each other, and to be looking after the community where they live together is a real feel good factor for everyone. They all have that same sense of achievement.
The Wombles group are always friendly and grateful, and acknowledge all the day's volunteers on their Facebook page, including James, Chris and their Support Workers.
There are other perks too: a few weeks ago, Chris went to a car show and in return for being a Wombler he got in free. Chris particularly loves red cars so he was able to see plenty and really enjoyed the day. We are looking out to help volunteers at a music festival next!
And their enthusiasm is beginning to rub off on housemate Daniel, who is thinking about becoming a solo Wombler - away from the crowd but at the same venue, which will suit him better. He's started litter-picking near home to get used to the idea first.
