Meet John
Meet John Trow, a dedicated community volunteer and member of ‘Litter out of Llanelli’. You may recognise him as a regular litter picker around the town!
John lived in Llangennech for 31 years, he had a music shop in town and his wife ran the post office.
5 years ago after retirement, local councillor Gary Jones got John interested in doing something for the village, and this is where his volunteering journey started.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
2 years ago, John and his wife moved to Machynys East. John thought ‘Well I’m retired, I don’t play golf! Litter picking will get me out meeting people. So I started around the estate. Now I’m going further afield, joining other groups.’’
‘’To begin with, I was just doing it with a single bag, but then Brian Mogford from the Council gave me a trolley so I could carry 2 bags, sometimes I get up to 4 on it! He’s really supportive, bringing me bags and anything I need. Now I can segregate my litter picking into recyclable and non-recyclable.
I enjoy doing it - you get out and meet people, they appreciate what you’re doing and hopefully we can develop it further with this ‘Litter out of Llanelli’ campaign. I go out at least once a week, but I’m trying to do a bit more depending on the weather.
I was out with the Rotary Club a week back, and I went down New Zealand Street. The back lanes were absolutely shocking. I had to go back for a second trip, but I managed to clear it. (Photos show John’s hard work before and after. An amazing result!)
‘’The problem in our area of Machynys is that we’re a certain distance from places like McDonalds, and by the time they get to us they just chuck rubbish out of the car window. So the side of the road gets covered. People just throw it, there’s no thought at all. It’s a shame, its such a nice area.
I find it impossible to understand why people litter. It seems like laziness. I’m old school really, it’s not necessary at all. It can be upsetting sometimes when you clear up an area, and the next day it’s all back again.
I was brought up in a different era, if my parents saw me doing that, I’d have a clip round the ear!’’
What is the most common litter you find?
‘McDonalds rubbish and drinks cans.’
What do you do with your collected litter?
‘Notify Pride in your Patch, who collect it from the given location. They are very reliable.’
What's the weirdest thing you’ve found?
‘Women’s Underwear!’
How long will you do this for?
‘For as long as I can walk.’
What motivates you to keep doing it?
‘I enjoy going out and meeting people, and if it helps the area a bit then I’m pleased. I have pride in my community, I like to see things looking nice and well cared for. I have great neighbours who do their bit, and its nice to see that. Long may it continue!’
John's Work Before and After
