Words by Jamie Tichborne
A COMMUNITY-SPIRITED eight-year-old girl from Dobcross has sent a letter to Oldham Council and started a petition to try to create a better environment for her village.
Millie Jones is worried about the broken glass and plastic discarded along Delph New Road that she walks past on her way to school.
So, when given a homework task to help the environment, she decided to take it one step further by sending a handwritten letter to the Council asking for action.
Millie, a pupil at Holy Trinity Primary School, wrote: “When I look out of the window in my house all I can see is a grassy, muddy, damp ditch with lots of litter and broken glass. When I’m on the field at my school I see a grassy, muddy, damp ditch.
“So, I am writing to ask you if you could plant some beautiful, wild flowers in the ditch all along Delph New Road by the school playing field.”
Millie added: “There are already some trees but I think it would look much prettier if there were some flowers.
“I am sure lots of people would appreciate it, such as the people who run and walk on the path, people who drive past, everybody at my school, and the people on my street.
“It would also save money because every few weeks the grass gets cut to a muddy ditch. But if the wild flowers were there, you wouldn’t have to cut the grass. And another reason to put the wild flowers down is wildlife.
“I would also suggest putting up a sign saying ‘please do not pick or stand on the flowers’. That would prevent the flowers from being destroyed.
“And if we are lucky, it might stop rubbish being thrown in there because there wouldn’t be enough room for litter.”
Millie is encouraging her family, friends and villagers to sign her petition in support of her ideas, and she has also sent a copy to Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.
The petition reads: “I would like Oldham Council to help us to improve our area by cleaning the broken glass and rubbish from Delph New Road, by the playing fields and plant wildflowers to help our wildlife.”
In response to Millie’s adorable letter and petition, Mrs Abrahams said: “I really enjoyed reading your letter to Oldham Council and seeing your photographs.
“It is a shame that people spoil our beautiful countryside by leaving glass bottles and other rubbish instead of taking it home with them or putting it in a bin.
“I think your idea to have more flowers planted along Delph New Road to brighten it up would be lovely and would be very popular.
“I know the Council has had a programme of setting up sites for wild flowers to encourage more pollinating insects such as bees so let’s hope they like this idea as much as I do!”
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