Oldham family clean up their town by picking up litter

For the last five years, members of a family have been putting in a lot of effort and hard work to clean up their town by picking up litter.

38-year-old Salehuddin Taluqdar, his daughter and son have been regularly cleaning the Coldhurst and surrounding areas including Westwood since 2017.

The man also helps in cleaning missions by joining hands with Friends of Tandle Hill Country Park and ‘We are South Chadderton’.

Taluqdar, who arrived in the UK from Bangladesh in 2009 said, “I started litter-picking on my own and would take my kids with me, it’s important for children to be involved with litter-picking because if we teach our children from an early age not to litter and to keep a tidy neighbourhood in the long run we are helping to keep a litter free neighbourhood.

“Although I have three children and a wife and a busy life I have a vision and plan to clean streets and engage the local residents.”

He is also an Ambassador for Keep Britain tidy and is the lead litter picking volunteer at MyColdhurst.

His son Yassin Uddin, 10 and daughter Nabeeha Jannat, 12 admitted that they had a nice bonding time with their father while cleaning the streets and felt good about helping the community at the same time.

Yassin, a student at St Hildas primary school said, “I enjoy litter-picking and go with my dad every month for about one hour. I like helping my community and tell my friends about it and they join us sometimes. My teachers at school know about it too and our school joined us once too. I have fun doing it. I also help MyColdhurst.”

He enjoys playing chess and football and wants to practice law when he grows up.

Speaking about his son’s chess talent, Taluqdar said, “I am teaching my son how to play chess, I plan to start a parent’s and children’s chess tournament.”

Nabeeha, who attends Oldham Academy North added, “I join my dad on litter-picking missions, I like making a change to the community by cleaning it and making it litter free, my friends join me sometimes.”

“If everyone starts making a change the community will get better,” she adds.