KEEP Halesowen Beautiful has been added to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games community programme in a major boost to the litter picking group.

The volunteers regularly meet to clean up the town and have now joined United by Birmingham 2022 in recognition of their importance to the community.

The group is just one of nine projects across the West Midlands who have been selected to join the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games community programme.

It means Keep Halesowen Beautiful can now use the official community programme logo to amplify its activity and raise the profile of the group.

Caroline Miller, founding member of Keep Halesowen Beautiful, said: “Our ultimate aim, as our name suggests, is to keep our wonderful town of Halesowen looking as beautiful as can be. In doing that, we have also forged wonderful friendships and gained a real community buzz by coming together so regularly. We each feel a huge sense of achievement after each session. We believe our passion and dedication can make a make a real difference to Halesowen, but we also hope it will inspire surrounding towns and the city of Birmingham.

“We are delighted to have received this recognition from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and we will be using the United By logo with pride across our channels, which will really help in raising further awareness for our cause.”

The Community Programme recognises projects that strive to make a positive impact in the local community by bringing people together, improving health and wellbeing, helping the region to grow and succeed and putting the region on the map.

Keep Halesowen Beautiful have been praised by James Morris, MP for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, who said: “I want to pay tribute to the local volunteers who have worked hard in recent months to keep Halesowen beautiful, and I am pleased to see their efforts recognised by United by Birmingham 2022.

"The Commonwealth Games will offer a great opportunity to showcase our region to a global audience, and I would encourage all community groups in Halesowen & Rowley Regis to look to become accredited to highlight their good work.”

John Crabtree, Chair of Birmingham 2022, added: “It’s been fantastic to see so many outstanding local projects working hard to make a difference to their community. Since launching United by Birmingham 2022 earlier in the year, we’ve welcomed so many worthwhile projects and Keep Halesowen Beautiful is no exception. Our aim is to shine a light on these projects and support them with raising their profile in the communities in which they operate and beyond.”