A five-year-old plastic warrior has been rewarded for his hard work to clean up a Sidmouth play area.
Brody Bray ran home to get his litter grabber after seeing rubbish in the football cage at Manstone Lane picking up a large bin bag full of crisp packets, beer cans and plastic and glass bottles.
Sidmouth Primary School recognised the reception pupil during its weekly prize giving assembly, presenting him with the values cup for displaying the school’s ethos of peace, forgiveness, friendship, belonging, honesty and thankfulness.
His mum Clare said: “We were shocked at how much rubbish had been left in and around the cage.
“He often comments on the litter, and how there is a bin right next to the football cage.
“Straight away Brody wanted to go get his grabber and tidy it up. How could I say no?
He picked up a whole bag full of rubbish, and it was not just a little bag.”
“I’m sure it won’t be the last time he does it as he was so proud of himself as we all are of him.
“He has a heart of gold and loves to make people smile.”
The youngster has also been praised by members of Sidmouth Plastic Warriors.
Denise Bickley, from the group, said: “We have no doubt at all that our youngest warriors in the town get it completely - we see again and again such amazing awareness and enthusiasm.
“This particular spot has been an issue for the warriors for ages, but Brody has given us the motivation to keep going and make it as nice as possible for the families that use it, even if a very tiny minority fail to understand our worries about pollution, particularly plastic, and how easily it can get from the ground to the river and then to the sea.”
The group will be holding a ‘no butts’ competition on March 23.
The meet-up will run for an hour between 2pm and 3pm outside Dukes, with a small prize for the winning team who brings back the most butts.
During the afternoon the teams will be asked to fill in tally sheets to help the group’s campaign for more butt bins in town.
Gloves, bin bags and litter pickers will be provided, but participants are asked to bring their own if they can.
The clean up also aims raise awareness about the plastic and toxins found in the butts and the impact on the environment.
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