Volunteers Find Purpose and Therapy in Community Cleaning

A trio of men, who voluntarily clean soiled street signs, have stated their motivation stems from a passion for their work and a desire to positively impact their communities. Danny Thornton, based in Wolverhampton, explained that the Community Clean Team was established 12 months prior. Initially, they cleaned signs encountered during their professional exterior cleaning jobs. Subsequently, Mr Thornton, Dylan Sutton, and Alex Wetton began utilizing social media platforms to solicit requests for their services from the public. According to Mr Thornton, their cleaning tasks have encompassed a wide range, from sports stadium seats to residences belonging to elderly or disabled individuals. The individuals perform this work without charge and cover their own expenditures, including travel expenses. These costs can vary, from approximately £10 for a street sign to £80, as was the case last week when they cleaned Northwood community stadium in Stoke-on-Trent. Additional projects have involved cleaning neglected bus stops, remembrance memorials, children’s parks, and dogs’ homes. Mr Thornton stated: “We used to do this in our spare time, when we would drive past road signs that were barely visible.” He emphasized the significance of their visibility, stating, “It’s important that they’re visible, because it’s road safety.” Mr Thornton explained that their motivation for cleaning was that it was a “good thing to do,” and he further remarked: “I enjoy cleaning the signs, it’s therapeutic.” He also mentioned that their travels were proving engaging, and they had even received a request to undertake cleaning work in London. The team now maintains a TikTok page to publicize its activities, accumulating nearly 1,700 followers in slightly more than a week. Although they are currently bearing the costs themselves, Mr Thornton indicated that the work had left them “running on fumes.” Consequently, the men have launched a GoFundMe page to solicit donations to help cover their fuel, expenses, and time. For further updates, follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.