A young boy received well-deserved recognition from the Deputy Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland for his hard work in the community.
10-year-old Joe Cupples, from Dormanstown, started litter picking when he was 9 and soon after that, he joined the South Gare Litter Pickers in their mission to tidy up their area, never allowing his learning disability to stop him from making a difference in his community.
Joe can be seen out and about doing litter picking at least three times a week, and never misses a weekend going out with South Gare Litter Pickers together with his mum and dad, helping not only with the litter picking, but making sure the recyclable items are being separated from the rest.
On Thursday, 2 November, as a thank you for his hard work, Joe received a ride from the Cleveland Fire Brigade in one of their cars, all the way from his home to the Civic Centre, where the Deputy Mayor invited him and his parents for a special tea dedicated to Joe as a show of appreciation. Joe will also get an exclusive tour of the fire station as part of his reward.
Joe’s parents, Clare and Andy Cupples said: “We are so proud of Joe, you can see the difference he makes in the community. What makes us really happy is the satisfaction this gives him and we hope this will inspire other kids to start litter picking themselves.”
Deputy Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Cllr Neil Bendelow, said: “Joe is a true role model for all of us and we are so grateful to his immense contribution in the community. It is wonderful to see a young boy being so dedicated to his local community and so determined to help make his area tidy and bright. The work that he and the South Gare Litter Pickers are doing regularly, without expecting anything in return, deserves recognition and appreciation.”
Ward Member for Dormanstown, Cllr Ceri Cawley, a close member of the family and the person who highlighted Joe’s achievements, said: “I’m so glad to see that Joe is being recognised for his hard work, he and his parents are wonderful people, who care about their area and want to bring their own contribution to it. I would like to thank the Cleveland Fire Brigade for offering Joe such a wonderful reward and South Gare Litter Pickers for all the work they have done in our borough.”
Community Engagement Manager, Sean Smith said: “We would like to extend our thanks to Joe for his excellent work in the Redcar and Cleveland area. It was inspiring to see such dedication and pride from a young member of our community. We are proud to support volunteer groups such as the South Gare litter pickers and their tireless work to improve the local community and reduce the free fuel available for deliberate fire-setting. It was an honour to escort Joe and his family to the event and so heart warming to see his reaction to receiving his well-earned award.”