‘If he’s got a job to do, he’s out’: the litter picker keeping his town tidy

For nearly a decade, Jamie Davies has been tidying the streets in his home town of Ystrad Mynach – and he’s urging others to get involved.

Jamie, 45, has a learning disability, and volunteering has been his way of giving back to the community that’s done so much for him.

“He just loves it,” his mother Janetta told Caerphilly Observer. “He started on our street, then further up, then around the corner, then more and more.

“And it just sort of grew from there.

“Not even the weather phases him. Rain, cold, anything – not even snow. If he’s got a job to do, he’s out.”

Jamie has become a popular figure in his community, and his tireless efforts have seen him earn recognition from the community council, as well as praise from residents and local sports clubs alike.

“He’s had trophies, but we had to put them away because we didn’t have space for them all. The council even gave him an award once for his services to the community,” explained Janetta.

“He goes to the bowling club to clear up the rubbish down there, and even they’ve given him shirts and a bowling coat for presentations.”

Jamie and his mum highlighted how his volunteering has helped improved his confidence, and said anyone thinking of doing something similar will also see the benefits.

“It has helped build his confidence to no end,” Janetta said. “I’ve always pushed him to go out and do things, otherwise he wouldn’t have the life he’s got now.

“When he was younger, he struggled more. He didn’t like going out, didn’t like noise. He’d lock the doors and close the curtains if a big group were coming down the street.

“But now, people will text me on the phone and say, ‘Jamie’s here. Did you know he’s come this far?’ – and I’ll say ‘oh hell, send him back!’

“But he’s going that far because he’s grown in confidence so much. And so many people know him. Everybody looks out for him, everybody will feed him, everybody will water him, so I’m not worried at all because wherever he is, there’s someone who knows him and will look out for him.”

In 2023, Ystrad Mynach residents banded together to give Jamie his own litter-picking kit, complete with a high-vis jacket emblazoned with his name. 

Caerphilly County Borough Council has also chipped in, with refuse collectors often dropping off bin bags for Jamie to use, and taking him out in their trucks to places that are harder for him to get to.

Jamie now calls on others to don their high-vis jackets, roll up their sleeves, and help keep their communities tidy.

He explained how seeing the difference he’s made to his local area makes him feel “really happy,” and gives him a sense of accomplishment – a feeling he says others would experience if they did the same.

“It makes me feel like I’ve done a good job,” he told Caerphilly Observer.

But while he says litter is a constant issue in Ystrad Mynach, with more piling up each day – he would “pick it up again and again” to keep his town tidy.