Paperboys launch Own Your Streets Day

Big businesses have put their weight behind an event calling on everyone who lives, works or shops in the city centre to improve the streets.

The public are being challenged to ensure they throw away their litter responsibly when all street-cleaning services are removed from the city centre on Friday, April 25 for Manchester City Council's Own Your Streets Day.

Since it was launched five years ago, the public have been only too willing to take up the challenge, and they are now also being asked for their views on the city centre's recycling facilities - as well as being given the chance to win a night in one of the city's top hotels.

Kendals, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Primark are featuring shop window displays promoting the event, and anything bought from city centre Subway, Boots, Greggs and Starbucks shops will be marked with stickers reminding buyers to put wrappers in the bin.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Radisson Edwardian hotel, the Printworks and the Piccadilly Partnership will join City Council officers in judging how clean the streets have been kept at the end of the event.

The event will also have a newspaper theme this year, as volunteers will ask the public what they think of services allowing them to recycle free newspapers distributed on Manchester's streets, as well as other city centre recycling facilities.

Volunteers will be dressed as paperboys as they encourage people to complete the survey, while the Manchester Evening News has supplied 60 A-boards bearing headlines such as "your litter - your responsibility".

And anyone who completes the survey will be placed into a draw to win a free night and a meal in the five-star Radisson Edwardian hotel in Peter Street.

Councillor Eddy Newman, Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: "Own Your Streets day is a brilliant way of encouraging members of the public to realise the importance of keeping the streets clean. It has been a hugely successful event in previous years, and this year, thanks to support from leading city centre businesses, it will inspire more people who live, work or shop in the city to do their bit."

Collette Lynch, sales manager from Radisson Edwardian, said: "We are delighted to support the City Council's Own Your Streets campaign. We believe we should take more responsibility for our environment, and for preserving our great city."

Manchester City Council launched Challenge Manchester - 100 Days to a cleaner, greener city 2008 on February 14 2008 at Manchester Town Hall.

The campaign will run until 24 May 2008, featuring 100 days of intense activity all over Manchester with the first 50 days focussing on green issues - primarily waste minimisation, recycling and climate change - and the next 50 days focussing on community clean-ups, local environmental improvements and planting schemes.

The council will also be asking residents and businesses about what they want the council to do to help them minimise waste and recycle more.

Challenge Manchester began in 2004 with "Challenge Manchester: 100 Days to a Clean City", and in its fifth successful year the campaign returns to its core aim to "clean up" the city.

More information about Challenge Manchester and how you can participate appears on our website http://www.challengemanchester.co.uk/ .You can also e-mail campaigns.team@notes.manchester.gov.uk or telephone 0161 954 9000.

Media contact:

Conrad Astley, tel: 0161 234 4027