A rare opportunity to join the #PristineParish Pikkers! 👩🏻‍🦯👨🏽‍🦯

Due to Philip Winter’s impending move to Bourton, we were in need of a “pikker” from 7th September for the Wednesday pik of the East of the parish (the green route). Happily, Liz Outhwaite has stepped into his shoes and is doing the Wednesday pik, with Alan acting as back up.

But wait! We could still do with a pikker or two for the very short North/South Walk on the paths and unadopted lanes to the Church, Substation and Kennels on Tuesdays and Saturdays, give or take a day (sorry, my newsletter note only mentioned the north). This is currently being covered on a daily basis by Mike Boyes, following in the footsteps of Bernadett and Milli earlier this year, and needn’t necessarily be done by an adult. Mike and Maggie will be moving, due to family circumstances, as soon as their house is sold.

Pikker?

A “Pikker” is a “Protector of the Holy River” in Estonian Mythology. The connection is that zero litter flows into the waterways and seas from a pristine parish. (Cigarette butts amount to 40% of the items we pick up in our parish, and they are one of the worst pollutants of our seas and beaches.)

The #PristineParish Program

The parish’s roads are de-littered twice a week by volunteers: four pikkers each clean half the parish once a week. We pik on our own within a three-day window at the time we want - no fixed time, no rain checks and no hanging around in a group waiting for the off. 

Flexible, Efficient, Resilient

The program flexes around our availability, it uses our time efficiently and it is unstoppable: we carried on through all the lockdowns whereas group litter picks in other parishes were put on hold. 

Pharewell Phenomenal Philip

Philip Winter has been a stalwart of the #PristineParish Program here, pikking since it started in February 2019 and we now need someone to follow in his footsteps on the East Walk. A pikker needs to have road sense, so this is not for a child; rather it is regular exercise for a grown-up who is retired, self-employed or is otherwise in control of their diary.

Hasta Mañana Magnificent Mike and Maggie

Mike and Maggie Boyes have been clearing up all over the country - take a look at the list of parishes they’ve left better than they found them on the Galleries page. Although they’re heading out of town, I know they will be carrying on the good work around their new home and elsewhere. The North/South Walk, that Mike has been keeping clean, is doable by young or old of course, being off the beaten track.

The Big Picture

This is not just about Little Rissington - it’s about doing what we can to create a #pristineplanet, parish by parish. Apart from keeping our parish pristine, the fact we are sponsored by Phipp Feeds (and sport their logo) means we can afford to help other parishes adopt the program. We provided Great Rissington’s 15 pikkers and Upper Rissington’s 20 pikkers with free equipment (at £40 per pikker) and Wyck is showing interest. Adlestrop and Oddington now have a #PristineParish Patron (Daylesford Organic) and even the Rotary Club of Gretna Green and its neighbour, Annan, a town of 9,000 residents, are working to adopt the #PristineParish Program, while seeking to also enrol the 56 clubs in the rest of Dumfries and Galloway. 

Walking with Purpose

So, by pikking we not only keep our parish pristine but also help fund efforts to spread the twice-weekly habit far and wide.

Simple Logistics

Stylish vests (summer and winter) and a top-of-the-range grabber are provided for free and we have a WhatsApp group to ask for and offer cover. Any litter collected is easily recycled along with our own domestic waste. Immediately after a pik, we upload a photo of the haul to Dropbox, as a valuable record of our impact for social scientists and sponsors. Starting with your photo, that’s just three taps on your phone: Share Photo > Select Dropbox > Save to Little Rissington Folder.

And a Party!

Once a year, around Christmas, we get together with other Little, Great, Upper and Wyck Rissington Pikkers for a Soirée.

So come Donna Summer Vest and Feel the Love.

If you get that allusion, this is for you!

Please contact Gray Elkington using the form below or you will find his contact details on the Little Rissington Newsletter.