BIG-HEARTED Harry Lane puts out the bins for 40 neighbours every week – and has been doing so for the last ten years.
On the weeks when the recycling is also collected he has 80 wheelie bins to take out which takes him two and a half hours.
Harry Lane puts out the bins for 40 neighbours every week – and has been doing so for the last ten years[/caption]
Harry’s efforts began in 2013 when he started putting bins out for a couple of elderly neighbours[/caption]
It means that over the last decade he has wheeled out an incredible 31,000– and taken them all back in again.
The dad-of-two has now been given an award to honour his community work.
Harry, 53, said: “I do it because I love to be helpful – I find it rewarding to do things for others.
“I love my neighbours and love this neighbourhood.”
His incredible efforts began in 2013 when he started putting bins out for a couple of elderly neighbours.
One week it was really windy so he took in all of the bins near his home and was soon doing it every week to the delight of his grateful neighbours in Middlesbrough.
Harry, who works as a steward at Middlesbrough FC, puts on scruffy work clothes and wears heavy duty gloves for his bin work on a Wednesday night ready for the Thursday morning collection.
He said: “When I have all 80 bins to take out it takes me two and a half hours, and just over an hour on a normal week.
“I always take a look in the bins as well because I might do a bit of sorting if people have put the wrong rubbish in the wrong bin.
“It’s a really mucky job and I’ve gone through loads of pairs of gloves doing it.
“If the weather is bad I’ll keep an eye on the forecast and try and find a time to do it when it’s cleared up a bit.
“But if it is pours down all day I just have to go out and do it.
“It also takes me a lot longer to do in the summer because I’ll have a natter with everyone when I go around.
“I can do up to 20,000 steps on my rounds.
“It started when I used to do the bins for a couple of elderly neighbours.
“Then one day it was really windy so I brought all the bins on the street in so that they wouldn’t blow around and make a mess and it went from there.
“If you’d have told me I’d still be doing this 10 years later I wouldn’t have believed you.
“I really respect the bin men and what they do. I always give them a wave.
“They’re up there with nurses in my eyes.”
Harry, married to nurse Debbie, 46, and dad to Ciaran, 18, and Niamh, 14, has now been given a Middlesbrough Council Good Neighbour Award.
Neighbour Ian Moran, who nominated him, said: “Harry is such an inspiration, he would help anybody.”
Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for community safety, Coun Tony Grainge (CORR), said: “Harry is a great guy who does a lot for the community and this Good Neighbour Award is set up for people like him who look after others close to them.
“He’s the perfect example.”
Harry said: “It was such an honour to be nominated and brilliant to get an award.”
Harry says: I really respect the bin men and what they do. I always give them a wave’[/caption]