Litter picking was a “saviour” for Mark Hunter after he struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic with his mental health.
The 51-year-old Crieff native was recently recognised for keeping his town tidy by Keep Scotland Beautiful.
He was awarded a Clean Up Scotland Hero award and has become a well-known face on Crieff’s streets.
“I had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression before Covid-19, which worsened as I tried to get through it”, says Mark.
“During Covid-19 I was lucky enough to be a key worker with a poultry company.
“But when I changed occupations I had a lot more time on my hands and I was offered to go on the (Crieff) community council.
“I found volunteering really helped my anxiety and depression to the point where it’s what I continue to do to this day to manage it.”
Cleaning Crieff litter a ‘comfort’ after the pandemic
Mark’s reputation as a local litter hero stems from his time on the community council in 2022.
He became interested in volunteering because litter was a regular subject on the agenda at the time.
Crieff residents were becoming concerned that local authority cuts were causing untidiness in their town.
“It was a show of faith to the public that we would go out and actually do it ourselves”, adds Mark.
However, this wasn’t an easy task for Mark, who – like many of us – had struggled with the strains of the pandemic.
In the previous two years he admits that he was forcing himself to leave the house for a while.
But he then found comfort in connecting with others who had struggled through the pandemic.
Some of his fellow volunteers were also finding it difficult to open up about their experiences.
“It was really difficult at the beginning, but over the last two or three years it has been a saviour to me”, says Mark.
“It’s about meeting people in similar situations as well.
“The pandemic has really affected a lot of people that maybe didn’t necessarily want to talk about it.
“And it’s comforting to find other people out there and that’s why I always champion volunteering for myself and others.
“It’s a great way to manage your physical wellbeing because you’re being active and meeting others.
“My mental health did suffer quite badly during the pandemic, but my physical wellbeing was also tied to do that.
“Getting out and stuck in is fantastic to keep the middle-age spread off.”
‘Important to keep advertising’ volunteering
Mark also helped to set up the Friends of Crieff Cemetery and the Friends of Old St Michael’s groups.
The latter group aims to keep the Old St Michael’s hall and grounds clean and tidy.
“There is a lot of community groups in Crieff that I have crossed paths with since instigating the Friends of Crieff Cemetery”, says Mark.
“We had a lot of complaints about the general state of the cemetery and fallen headstones and obviously that wasn’t our responsibility.
“But luckily, by raising the profile of the group, Perth and Kinross Council have been conducting memorial inspections since.
“We’ve had quite a lot of positive public feedback, which has been great.
“It’s really important to keep advertising and making the public aware that there are opportunities for volunteering options in the community.”
Keeping Crieff clean is ‘commendable’
Mark was nominated for the Keep Scotland Beautiful award by Craig Finlay after the two met while maintaining the cemetery.
“He works full time and has a family, but he wants to give back to the community”, says Craig.
“It was my dad who pointed him out and asked why he was always walking around the town with a bin bag.
“He was doing it with no fanfare and it’s commendable that he decided he wanted to contribute to the town.
“Litter picking isn’t very glamorous and there’s something very honourable about it.”
Despite his own heroics in helping to keep Crieff clean, Mark recognises the importance of the other volunteers that he works alongside.
“I always prescribe to a group ethos and it’s always a group effort”, he adds.
“There is a gap in and a lot of scope for more volunteers because different skillsets are welcome.”
Conversation