Tidy Tavi volunteers braved the wild October weather on Saturday, October 4 to mark 14 years of community litterpicking.

With Storm Amy threatening to spoil the party, coordinators kept a close eye on weather updates, nearly calling it off.

“It was touch and go right up to the night before,” said coordinator Jeff Moody. “But Amy veered away just in time, and we decided to go for it.”

The morning brought a dramatic mix of sunshine, hail, thunder and lightning, but as quickly as showers arrived, they passed.

Around 20 committed volunteers turned out to clean up Tavistock’s streets and green spaces—some of whom have been helping since the very first pick in 2010.

Volunteers gathered outside Meadowlands Pool for celebratory cake and photo.

Tavistock mayor and coordinator Cllr Steve Hipsey praised the team spirit: “Rain or shine, this group shows up and makes Tavistock better. Fourteen years is something to be proud of.”

Vikki Bendle, fellow coordinator, added: “The weather threw everything at us, but so did the smiles and cake—it was a typical Tidy Tavi mix of grit and good cheer. Here’s to another year of keeping Tavistock tidy!"

If you would like to joint the group, Tidy Tavi litterpicks take place on the first Saturday of each month meeting at Meadowlands Pool Tavistock from 10am till 12 noon.