Saltburn family in month-long litter-pick Covid fundraiser

Local group Keeping It Clean At Saltburn borrowed the family litter-pickers for their fundraising venture

A family has raised more than £5,000 in a month-long litter-pick to help build a garden for patients at a Covid-19 intensive care unit (ICU).

The Pipers were inspired to raise money after reading Richard Cree's blog of life in ICU at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Sophie, Nick, and sons Tommy and Josh, collected rubbish throughout February to fundraise for an ICU garden.

Mr Piper said they were "over the moon" with the support from the community.

Over the month, the family collected about 56 full bags of rubbish - an estimated 20,000 individual bits of litter

The family, from Saltburn, got in contact with Mr Cree as they "wanted to do something to help", and he told them about their wish to create a dedicated outdoor space within the grounds of the hospital.

In the blog, the intensive care consultant wrote: "It is hard to describe just how beneficial it is for these patients to spend some time outdoors, experiencing daylight and fresh air for the first time in many weeks.

"For many of them, a trip outside serves to remind them that the outside world is waiting for them once they get better."

Tommy, 9, and Josh, 8, braced rain, sleet and snow to take part in their daily litter picks

Mum Sophie had the idea to collect rubbish during their daily exercise in lockdown.

Mr Piper said: "We really wanted to do something for the staff at the NHS.

"Everyone knows during the pandemic they've done an amazing job and particularly those right on the front-line at the ICU, so we wanted to do something first and foremost that could benefit them and the patients there.

"But absolutely it's kind of a win-win really, because if we can improve the local community at the same time, then brilliant."

The family set a target of £1,000 to help towards the £20,000 needed for the garden, but have so far raised five times that.

The family are supporting the creation of the outdoor space to help enable patients and staff to escape the "overload and stress of the ICU"

Over the month, the family collected about 56 full bags of rubbish - an estimated 20,000 individual bits of litter.

Mr Piper added: "As parents we're really proud of how the boy's have committed themselves to the cause - they've been out every single day, whatever the weather, pretty much without complaint."

Tommy, 9, said: "Ah I've loved it. Lots of people have been encouraging us and saying well done and congratulating us.

"We've had like snow, hail, really heavy rain, all sorts. It hasn't put us off, we just go for it."

Josh said he was "definitely" a better litter picker than his big brother as he found a "bigger bucket" than him