Island Roads has been working hand in glove with Sandown Green Town Volunteers to ensure the group can safely continue its work keeping the town neat and tidy.

The group’s band of keen volunteers devote their free time to keeping the town litter free and its planters well maintained.

Much of that work requires heavy duty gardening gloves – the cost of which is prohibitive for the group which has around 30 volunteers.

But after hearing about the issue, Cllr Ian Ward, a group member and Isle of Wight Council ward member for Sandown South, appealed to Island Roads to see if they could donate suitable gloves.

“I have had a lot of dealings with Island Roads during my time as a councillor and I have always found them very supportive of community groups like ours,” Cllr Ward said.

“I was delighted when Island Roads said they were able to help and within a couple of days they turned up with 30 pairs of gloves. Our work involves litter picking, gardening and occasionally dealing with obnoxious material so I know the volunteers are extremely grateful that they can now face these challenges wearing the appropriate heavy duty gloves.”

Island Roads cleansing supervisor Nigel Smith delivered the gloves while visiting town cleaner Kenny Snudden who handed them over to volunteers. Nigel said: “Sandown Green Town Volunteers do a super job and we were only too pleased to be able to assist them.”