THREE community action days are being held this month to spruce up a rundown Halesowen estate.

A litter pick, window box planting and a parade of decorated supermarket trolleys are being held on the Highfields Estate.

The projects follow consultation of residents and stakeholders identified a need to focus on environmental improvements to put a sense of pride back into the estate.

They are being funded through the Government’s Our Place programme which aims to give local people influence on how services are designed, planned and delivered.

The programme is being managed by Dudley borough’s Centre for Equality and Diversity and Highfields - which figures in the top four per cent most deprived areas in England - is one of more than 100 Our Place projects which have shared £4.3 million funding in the last 12 months.

Community organiser Anna Rogozinska said all were welcome to join in with community clean-up day on Saturday (March 7) with gloves, litter pickers and bags provided by Dudley Council.

Volunteers should meet at 11am on the square at the back of the Hope Centre and the clean-up will focus between the blocks of flats, around the allotments and at Highfields Park Twenty low rise flat tenants have signed up for a free window box packed with edible plants, such as strawberries, tomatoes and herbs, which will put up on Sunday March 22 and is linked to Halesowen in Bloom.

An innovative and fun solution has been found to the scourge of dumped supermarket trolleys on the estate, with a decorated trolley parade.

An artist, experienced in creating carnival-style trolleys, is being commissioned to decorate 10 abandoned trolleys as mythical beasts which will lead a parade of trolleys into the town centre on Sunday March 29.

Trolley decorating workshops will be held under gazebos in the square behind the Hope Centre from 11.30am until 3.30pm.

The parade will set off at 4pm arriving at the Cornbow Shopping Centre at 4.30pm where they will be handed back to Asda and Lidl.

Mrs Rogozinska said: “It’s a bit of crazy idea, but we thought it would be fun. It’s aimed at children and families mostly but everyone is welcome.”

Her contract runs out at the end of the month and it is hoped that now a vision has been developed, funding opportunities will be made available for more estate-led projects.