Families invited to take part in huge litter-picking campaign to clean up Milton Keynes before lockdown ends

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) are staging their campaign on the last weekend of March.

They aim to clear the litter in parks and pedestrian walkways all over MK to get the city looking sparkling clean and tidy ready for the end of lockdown.

And they are urging families, couples and individuals all over the borough to join in that weekend when they go out for their daily walks. They are even offering free litter pickers and bags if people need them.

The move follows the Parks Trust's recent warning about the dangers that litter can pose to the local wildlife.

AMYA volunteers, some as young as seven years old, will be getting up early, before dawn, for a special prayer, then donning hi-vis jackets and heading to pick up rubbish.

Their aim is to instil the values of volunteering and community service in all its members, and also support local councils by alleviating costs.

Saeed Nazir, Local Youth Leader fromMilton Keynessaid: "In Islam, ‘Cleanliness is Part of Faith’, so there’s no better way to serve our faith and our country. Islam urges every Muslim to partake in charitable giving, community service, and promote cleanliness.

"AMYA has and continues to instil young people with a sense of civic responsibility, and a desire to promote harmony within our local communities. The Clean-up campaign ensures Muslim youth can be active members of society and serve their communities and the environment.”

If you want to be part of the campaign and need a free litter picker or a bin bag, contact AMYA athttps://www.muslimsforhumanity.org.uk/