Snow Champions needed to keep borough moving (From Halesowen News)

Snow Champions needed to keep borough moving

10:23am Monday 29th October 2012 in News

COMMUNITY-spirited Sandwell residents can apply to be their neighbourhood’s ‘Snow Champion’ as the council prepares to give away 5,000 shovels and tubs of salt.

Anyone who lives in the borough can apply to be a Snow Champion.

Kits - which include 3kg of rock salt, a snow shovel and a high-visibility vest - will be delivered to homes in November.

Sandwell Council leader Councillor Darren Cooper came up with the idea last winter, when 2,500 kits were given out in the community.

He said: "All we ask is that you use the shovel and salt to help others if it snows.

"That might mean clearing snow from the drive or path of a neighbour who would otherwise struggle to get out, or maybe you would use your kit to clear the pavements in your street.

"This is about helping people to get out of the house in bad weather and prevent slips and falls on the snow.

"I used my Snow Champion kit in February to clear snow in my street and it was a great feeling to be helping others."

As well as giving kits out to 5,000 new Snow Champions, the council will also deliver an extra tub of salt to everyone who applied to be a Snow Champion last winter.

That means there will be 7,500 people equipped with shovels and salt around the borough.

One thousand of the new kits will go to people who applied to be Snow Champions last winter but missed out after the council ran out of kits due to demand.

To apply visit www.sandwell.gov.uk/snowchampion or call 07824 409020 with your name, full address and phone number. The closing date is Friday November 9.