Residents across Lawley and Overdale parish have come together to make their community cleaner and greener, collecting over 10 bags of litter as part of the Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean, which ran from Friday 13 to Sunday 29 March 2026.

The parish council organised a series of litter picks throughout the campaign, including a public event on Sunday 22 March, alongside its ongoing monthly community litter picks.

Volunteers of all ages took part, including parish councillors, staff, the community action team and local street champions. Additional litter picks were held with a local school, nursery and care homes, contributing a combined six hours of volunteering.

In response to community feedback, weekend litter pick sessions are now being introduced, making it more accessible for residents to get involved.

Mark Boylan, Chair of Lawley and Overdale Parish Council, said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many people come together to care for our parish. Litter is harmful to the environment and wildlife, and it can make our area look messy and unwelcoming. Even giving an hour of your time can make a real difference and we’re grateful to everyone who joined us during the Great British Spring Clean campaign.”

The parish council encourages residents who were unable to take part in the Great British Spring Clean campaign to get involved by organising their own litter picks or signing up as a street champion for Telford, helping to keep Lawley and Overdale clean and tidy all year round. All necessary equipment is provided by Telford and Wrekin Council and volunteers can contribute as much time as they are able.

For details of upcoming litter picks in the Lawley and Overdale parish, visit the Lawley and Overdale Parish Council website: Lawley and Overdale Parish Council

To register as a Street Champion volunteer, visit the Telford and Wrekin website: Telford & Wrekin Council | Street Champions

Picture: Cheque presentation evening

Lawley and Overdale Parish Council and its partners have celebrated raising more than £3,900 for PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide, with a cheque officially presented on Tuesday 24 February.

Members of the parish council presented the donation to PAPYRUS at The Grazing Cow pub in Lawley, celebrating the community’s fundraising success.

The council and its partners (Bournville Village Trust and Lawley Running Club) chose to support PAPYRUS following the loss of a local resident and pupil at a nearby school, Max Turton who passed away by suicide in 2024.

The money was raised throughout 2025 via a variety of community and partnership events with Bournville Village Trust and Lawley Running Club. These included the Lawley 5K Fun Run, Summer Fest, Christmas celebrations, the Christmas pantomime and organised coach trips, bringing residents together in support of a vital cause.

PAPYRUS is a UK-based charity dedicated to preventing suicide among young people and promoting positive mental health. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for people under 35 in the UK, making the charity’s work vital.

Katie Turton, Max’s mum, said: “I am deeply grateful to the Parish Council for choosing PAPYRUS to support all of their fundraising efforts in 2025, in loving memory of my son, Max. Thank you to everyone who has supported and donated –  the incredible amount raised will help continue to raise the profile of this amazing charity and create a lasting legacy for him.”

Mark Boylan, Chair of Lawley and Overdale Parish Council, said: “This is a great achievement for the area, and we thank everyone who donated and supported our fundraising activities. This will help make a real difference to young people in need.”

Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of PAPYRUS, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to Lawley and Overdale Parish Council and to everyone who supported the various local community events.

“Fundraising helps us to continue giving hope to children and young people who are struggling with life.

“We believe that many young suicides are preventable and together we can all help to keep our communities suicide-safe.”

Lindsey Powell, Bournville Village Trust Community Development and Partnership Officer, said: “Working in partnership with Lawley and Overdale Parish Council and Lawley Running Club provides fantastic opportunities not only to deliver great community activities and events but also to support charities like PAPYRUS.”

For practical, confidential suicide prevention help and advice please contact HOPELINEUK247 on 0800 068 4141, text 88247 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.

For support, advice, or to donate, visit the PAPYRUS website: Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention.

On 20th and 21st December 2025, we hosted our annual ‘Over 60’s Christmas Meals’ and they went down a storm!

We would like to say a big THANK YOU to all Lawley & Overdale residents that attended over the two days, John from JB Roadshows for providing the music and bingo, Jack Dent who not only entertained us with some festive musical hits but also some magic!

We would also like to thank Hammonds Catering for the beautiful food and the service over the weekend and Cllr Mark Boylan, Cllr Zona Hannington, Cllr Erin Aston. and Cllr Luke Lewis who provided some funding from their Councillor Pride Funding towards the costs of the events.

We hope that all those that attended enjoyed their day, their food and the entertainment – thank you for helping support our raffle as well for our chosen charity, PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide – the raffle raised an amazing £250.85!