‘Let’s make Tain sparkle’ – Community clean-up begins after taxi driver wages war on weeds
A clean-up campaign to spruce up the streets of Tain began yesterday evening (Monday, June 2), with residents being urged to come together and help make the town “great again”.
The effort has been launched by concerned taxi driver David Purvis, who last week issued an open appeal for volunteers to help clear weeds and tidy up the town’s streets.
Taking inspiration from a recent clean-up initiative in Dornoch, he took to Facebook to ask for a similar community effort from Tain residents.
After a “brilliant” response, the first of three evening sessions saw volunteers gathering at Tain Service Point to coordinate their efforts.
Mr Purvis is encouraging Tain folk of all ages to come along with gloves, hoes, brushes and shovels to go to battle on the town’s weed problem.
“It’s a mission that’s going to be carried out over a few weeks to get the place sparking again,” said Mr Purvis.
“Sadly, Tain is looking a wee bit sorry for itself at the moment. But with it being the oldest Royal Burgh in Scotland, it should be glowing.”
Several members of the public have already pledged to come along and help, contacting Mr Purvis via social media and text messages.
He said he has also contacted local groups to bolster the effort.
“The golf club were contacted to see if their Tuesday Volunteer Group would help and they will. I also contacted John Maclellan, manager of the local footy team, for their help,” he said.
This week’s clean-up initiative came about after Mr Purvis posed the question online whether there was a group responsible for clearing weeds in the town, and was told that previous work had been carried out by the Tain Task Force and Highland Council.
Determined to keep the effort going, he set about forming a new volunteer group.
“Big rallying call to all Tain residents and business owners – young and old – we can all do our little bit to help,” he said. “If you can’t make it along, why not just clear the little bit around where you live?
“If the weeds are bad, removing them can make a massive impact to the town, and will help the volunteers immensely.”
Tea and coffee will be available for helpers, donated by Councillor Laura Dundas, and Mr Purvis’s business, DP Private Hire, is providing crisps and juice for those taking part.
The clean-up continues on Tuesday and Wednesday evening at the same time.
