Gran writes notes for neighbours to explain 'confusing' bins

A grandmother has written out dozens of notes explaining how her area's "confusing" new bin system works and dropped them through her neighbours' letterboxes to help.

Blackpool has seen a raft of changes to collections as part of a government recycling scheme, with each household receiving new colour-coded bins including waste caddies for food.

Tracy Harries wrote 79 letters for her neighbours in Layton, knowing some neighbours were struggling with the new regime.

The 56-year-old said: "I thought that if I was struggling a bit, so would some of the others."

As part of the changes, many households have a new bin collection day and recycling collections will move from fortnightly to a three-weekly cycle.

Tracy, who spent many years working in Blackpool hotels, said: "The new bin situation is a bit confusing.

"Not everyone knows what day the different coloured bins are being collected or what to do with the new food caddies.

"So I went on the website and then decided to simplify it in the letters.

"What really threw me was being told that the caddies should be left on the kerbside. How? That's where the cars are parked, it didn't seem to make sense.

"So in the notes I just told people to leave them outside the front of their houses."

Tracy first found out details about the new waste system when she attended a local community meeting, but still had a few questions.

She asked the refuse collectors when they next called round but they told her to visit the website, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Tracy said: "They didn't seem to know, so I thought I'd better get clued up. Then I had the idea for the notes.

"If I have helped just one person then it has been worthwhile.

"It was a lovely surprise when people started thanking me - including new neighbours I didn't even know."

Blackpool Council said: "The changes are the biggest in a generation and are designed to increase recycling and significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

"Our teams have carried out extensive work to ensure residents are informed.

"While most residents have been able to adapt to the changes independently, it is fantastic to see community-minded individuals stepping in to help others."

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