A grandfather of seven who has launched a litter picking crusade in Truro to help keep the streets clean is one of the winners of our Christmas Kindness competition.
William Aitchison, 81, wanders around his neighbourhood every week armed with his litter picker and homemade rubbish bag hoop to pick up any litter left after the bins have been collected.
The community champion, a father of four and a great grandfather, goes out of his way to do kind things for those living in the community.
He regularly strips back the ivy from communal fences, trims communal hedges, sweeps the path at the rear of the row of homes adjacent to his and would do anything to help others.
“I like to keep our neighbourhood neat and tidy,” said William, who has a phrase ‘mony a mickle maks a muckle’.
“It means that you can do a small amount to have a big impact.
“It makes it a nicer place to live if we can keep it clean.
“When people put their bins out before our Thursday collection, we regularly have seagulls attack the bags and cause a mess.
“So after the refuse collectors have been, I will go out with my equipment and clean up all of the litter around mine and all of my neighbours’ homes.
“Litter offends me and I can’t walk past it. It has to go in a bag.
“I am 81 and I like to keep busy. I enjoy trimming the hedges to keep them tidy.
“I have always liked helping people, it is nice to be kind to others.
“If everyone in the world shows a little bit of kindness, it would be a much better place.
“My neighbours are grateful that I go out and clean up the rubbish, but I don’t do it for the recognition.
“I do it to keep our community a space we can enjoy.”
Born in the small Scottish town of Shotts in 1942, William lost his father at the age of 13 and his mother moved the family to Falmouth in 1957 in pursuit of a new start.
William trained as an electrician and spent 30 years installing domestic appliances and repairing equipment as well as working as a lighting technician and sound engineer, having had his own recording studio and doing PA for bands.
William and his wife, Mary, 69, have five children and moved to Truro 13 years ago where they have a house looking over the Truro River.
Alongside his love of keeping his neighbourhood spick and span, William has a passion for music having previously had a recording studio.
“My main love is rock music,” he said. “I go back to the 1950s where I used to listen to Elvis, Buddy Holly and The Crickets.
“But my favourite bands are Pink Floyd and Genesis. I like all sorts of music.
“I still like to play around with music and do some editing. It keeps my mind active.
“I love where I live and my landlord LiveWest are very good at maintaining it. I can sit in my lounge and look down the river, it really is lovely.
“I am delighted to have won a prize in LiveWest’s Kindness competition and I wish everyone a happy Christmas.”
LiveWest Housing Officer, Janna Eyre, said: “Mr Aitchison is a great example of how one person’s acts of kindness can have a positive impact on the local community.
“By carrying out the regular litter picks and odd jobs around the scheme it has greatly contributed to improving the area for all.
“Never one to shout about his activities I am pleased that we have been able to recognise these efforts and celebrate the community champion that he is.”