A local group have been setting up regular meetings for the public to give an hour of work to improve their environment.
Friends of Maghull And District (FOMD), formed in 2018, is a community interest company whose members give their time to improve the local community, in collaboration with Maghull Town Council.
The ‘One Hour for Maghull’ projects including caring for and planting trees and collecting litter. The group have even planted 15,000 trees around Maghull.
‘One Hour for Maghull’ is an invitation from FOMD for the community to join them for one hour to complete small tasks that will better the environment.
Frank Sharp, a retired psychotherapist, is one of the four company directors.
He said: “We thought it would be good to say to people, ‘We’ve got one hour for Maghull, we’ll tell you what’s required, strictly for one hour only you can come along and help from there’.
“We’ve had a few larger projects like the one at Hudson Primary School. The neighbouring Air Training Cadets said five or six might turn up on a cold Saturday morning.
“Lo and behold, 15 turned up in scarves and gloves and their camouflage outfits! They were a really fantastic, hardworking group to have around.”
Last September, they won the BBC ‘Make A Difference’ award for their work to improve the local environment.
Mr Sharp said: “We didn’t apply for it or anything, so it was a lovely surprise.”
Maghull has already seen an incredible response to these events which happen multiple times a week.
‘We’re hoping people’s interest will snowball’
The co-director said: “Bit by bit we’re hoping people’s interest will snowball. So far, we’ve had some modest results and some extraordinary results, and we’ll just keep going.
“I’ve lived in Maghull all my life so it’s nice to be able to give something back to the community for my friends, family and neighbours”
Feature image: Friends of Maghull and District
