Street clean-up in crime hotspot

Street clean-up in crime hotspot

Anti-litter campaigners are to target a suburb of Birmingham in an attempt to discourage crime.

Community leaders will join environmental groups Keep Britain Tidy and Groundwork to clean the streets of Lozells on Saturday.

The area was the scene of two fatal shootings at the beginning of the year, when Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare were caught in the crossfire of rival gangs.

Rev Ruben King, who is co-ordinating the clean-up, said living in a squalid environment encouraged anti-social behaviour.

Squalid environment

"Compared to tackling gun crime, drug addiction, unemployment and poverty, picking up a bit of rubbish might not seem like much of a contribution," he said.

"But the fact is that living in a squalid environment promotes anti-social behaviour and an increased fear of crime so, if we can at least make it look a little better, it will be a good start."

The project has been organised as part of the Black Majority Churches' Environmental Programme.

Teresa Jennings, regional director for Keep Britain Tidy, said the church had the power to influence people.

"The church is a very benevolent force for good in communities like Lozells and its daily contact with residents means it has the power to influence people.

"In fact the whole Black Majority Environmental Churches Programme can act as a voice for those in excluded areas to raise concerns about the neighbourhood in which they live."