Volunteers join York BID in sprucing up city centre

Ever walked through a town and noticed the little things? A freshly painted bench that invites you to sit down, or bike racks that aren't all rusty and sad-looking. It’s funny how these small details can completely change how you feel about a place. And in York, a huge group of people has been busy making sure those little details are looking their absolute best, giving parts of the city a proper refresh.

So what's been happening in the city centre?

The beautiful riverside area around King’s Staith has just had a bit of a glow-up, thanks to an amazing community effort. Over two days, nearly 100 volunteers from all over the city rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in. They weren't just picking up litter; they were on a mission with paintbrushes. The targets? All that street furniture that gets a bit weathered and forgotten over winter. Think of all the metal and wooden bits and pieces that make up the public space – that’s the infrastructure they were tackling.

This big refresh saw benches, bike racks, and bollards getting a fresh coat of paint. It sounds simple, but it makes a massive difference to the whole area. This wasn't just a handful of people, either. The project brought together local residents and lots of different businesses who wanted to show their support for the city. Teams from companies like GMI, Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors, Gate & Bar, Primark, and Boxxe all swapped their keyboards for paintbrushes to help out. It's a proper example of community groups coming together to improve the city centre for everyone.

More than just a lick of paint

This big painting session was part of something called ‘Rejuvenation Days,’ an idea organised by the York BID. The whole point of these projects is to get volunteers involved in keeping York looking sharp. It's a brilliant way to harness community spirit and make a visible difference. And it’s not a one-off thing. Since these Rejuvenation Days kicked off in January 2024, the numbers are pretty impressive. Nearly 400 volunteers have given up their time, which is amazing. Together, they’ve managed to refresh over 1,740 individual pieces of infrastructure – from benches to bollards – across 66 different streets in York. That’s a lot of painting and cleaning!

It shows how a series of small actions can add up to a huge positive change across the entire bid area. Carl Alsop, who is the Operations Manager at York BID, knows how important this kind of work is. He was clearly chuffed with the turnout and the community effort:

‘It’s fantastic to see so many businesses, residents, and community groups come together to make a real difference to our city. What might seem like small touches – a freshly painted bench or bike rack – all add up to make a huge difference to how York feels for everyone who lives, works, or visits here.’

He's spot on. It's these small improvements that make the city feel cared for. It's a signal that people are proud of their home and want to look after it.

A cleanup on the riverside

And the good vibes didn't stop with the painting. At the same time as the Rejuvenation Days, another brilliant clean-up was happening along the riverside. This one was led by the team at The York Dungeon. Lots of other city businesses joined them to do a massive litter pick along the stretch of the river from Ouse Bridge all the way to Millennium Bridge. It was a proper double-act of city improvement events.

So, what exactly is the York BID? Well, BID stands for Business Improvement District. It’s basically an organisation funded by local businesses to support projects that make the city better for everyone. They focus on making the city centre a brilliant and welcoming place to be, supporting cool events, and generally investing in the promotion and development of the whole area. These Rejuvenation Days are a perfect example of their work in action, offering direct support to enhance the city's public spaces.

Mark Mattinson, the General Manager at The York Dungeon, was also blown away by the turnout for the riverside cleanup:

‘The turnout was incredible for our Riverside Clean. It’s great to see businesses and residents getting stuck in and doing their bit for our city. When initiatives like this happen side by side, you can really see the difference being made.’

This just shows what can be achieved when different groups work together. It wasn't just one organisation; it was a mix of businesses, residents, and volunteers all sharing the same goal: making York an even lovelier place to be.

How to get involved

Reading about this might make you want to get involved, and the good news is, you can! This wasn't the last of the Rejuvenation Days. The York BID is planning more sessions, giving more residents and businesses the chance to join in and make a difference. If you fancy spending a few hours outdoors, meeting new people, and leaving a positive mark on the city, these are the dates for the diary:

• Wednesday 2nd September

• Friday 4th September

• Tuesday 8th September

It’s a fantastic opportunity to be part of the growing community effort that is transforming the city centre, one bench and bike rack at a time. The work of these volunteers provides vital support for the ongoing projects that keep our shared spaces looking great. After all, a city is more than just buildings and roads; it’s the community and the pride people have in it that truly makes it special. The success of these cleanup and refresh events really proves that.