PM awards outstanding Kidderminster volunteer for Great British September Clean

The founder of a volunteer-led initiative which is working to keep Wyre Forest district clean has today received Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s daily Points of Light award, coinciding with the Great British September Clean.

Michelle Medler, from Kidderminster, set up ‘The Pickup Artists’, which brings together over 1,000 volunteers for regular clean-ups across Wyre Forest. Michelle, who is a Litter Hero ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy, has also implemented a reward scheme with local businesses to provide discounts in restaurants and cafes for litter-pickers, and adopted a stretch of canal path in Kidderminster from The Canal and River Trust to help maintain the area for people to enjoy and to protect local wildlife.

In a personal letter to Michelle, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“I want to thank you for your extraordinary efforts to keep our country tidy.

“I was lost in admiration to hear of how you have inspired a community of volunteer litter-pickers across Wyre Forest, working all year round to keep your streets, canals and countryside free from rubbish and clean for all to enjoy.

“So as we take part in the Great British September Clean, and take stock of a summer in which we have all valued our local spaces more than ever, I am delighted to recognise your service to others by naming you as the UK’s 1482nd Point of Light.”

Richard McIlwain, Deputy CEO of Keep Britain Tidy, said:

“We are delighted to hear that Michelle, one of Keep Britain Tidy’s #LitterHeroes Ambassadors, has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to the community and the environment.

“The work Michelle has done to establish her group – ‘The Pickup Artists – is inspiring and we believe sends a strong message to the people of Kidderminster that there is a community who love their local area and will fight to protect it.”

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s announcement, Michelle said:

"'The Pickup Artists' is made up of an amazing group of like-minded people who all want to make a difference to where they live. I've made so many new friends, visited beauty spots I didn't know existed and have enjoyed inspiring others to pick up litter. This award is for everyone of them who supports the group by encouraging others to join us and help to educate children about the damaging impact litter has on our planet."

Michelle is the 1482nd person to receive the Prime Minister’s UK daily Points of Light award, which was first launched in April 2014 to recognise outstanding individuals making a difference where they live. Each day, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements, including hundreds of volunteers who have been recognised for how they have served their communities through the coronavirus pandemic.