On Saturday the Otangarei community came together to clean up the Otangarei Central Reserve and surrounding areas. It was part of the Otangarei Proud and Cleaning Up Day, during GJ Gardner Homes Clean-Up Week, in association with Keep New Zealand Beautiful. Local businesses and the Otangarei Neighbourhood Safety Panel were instrumental in organising the day and locals turned out to help. Photographer John Stone went along too.
![George Hill, facing camera and a helper who prefered to be unnamed put an old mattress into the skip. Photo / John Stone](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/6M2CLM72NO7KEYZ7M3WT7VPFCI.jpg?auth=a07621df65e3b6120921da1a030b7af0a4d0422ec59617e1e32ba30b5ca62253&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
![Tepene Livingstone makes room in the bin for another trailer load.
Photo / John Stone](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/TNTKTKI3F77E4SF5IKIZT5YCCM.jpg?auth=fedc2b8cce6a6b2087d7493ba606ea65a04c002bf2bf45f7086ef11abe376df1&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
![Karlene Livingstone keeps the bins coming for the collection crew.
Photo / John Stone](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/U3AMN5UR6E5XZOPRUMQY5OXELE.jpg?auth=78d9485ebfc1d1fe0b04d4d926ff9632b7534b25685c2ad6603c10585df9c507&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
![Kyla McKenzie, left and Michael Salase hoist a shopping trolly into a bin.
Photo / John Stone](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/UA3WHBJVJRDKC4SVWMBDHCHMSQ.jpg?auth=550fc5c13fc22f6ee1bd3248c24e41b2552b80bf04e690bc6ed0e0aab8da47c8&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)