Manchester residents and students join forces to clean up Moss Side streets
Dozens of the students from The University of Manchester joined local residents to help tidy up the streets of Moss Side by picking up litter, recycling rubbish and planting trees.
The activities were part of Student Volunteer Week, a national initiative, which runs until Sunday, 17 February. The students were volunteering alongside local residents to clean, green and brighten up alleyways around Acomb Street, Crofton Street, Deramore Street and Kippax Street in Moss Side. They cleaned up the alleyways, installed and decorated new planters and planted new evergreens and flowers.
Fourth year Japanese Studies student, Dayena Adu-Agyeman, who is based in the School Arts, Language and Culture, said: “For me personally, in my first and second year, I was in the university bubble and wasn’t really part of the community. But I think it is a very good idea for the students and locals to mingle and find ways of interacting with one another and volunteering is one way to do that.”
I think it is a very good idea for the students and locals to mingle and find ways of interacting with one another and volunteering is one way to do that.
Throughout the week the Students’ Union (SU) and the University’s Volunteering and Community Engagement Team have been “on tour” engaging with even more students to encourage them to volunteer at the University and in the local community.
Lindsay Gilbert, Volunteering & Community Engagement Manager said: “The University of Manchester is committed to being a good neighbour in Moss Side.
“We encourage our students to make positive contributions to their local neighbourhoods. Student Volunteering Week and the Big Volunteer Day provides us with a great platform to do this, encouraging lots of students to get involved with the local community.”