The Lord Mayor of York, Coun Peter Vaughan, was the first to sign up to a new Citizens' Pledge project launched today.

Everyone in York is being urged to make a pledge to help their neighbourhood during 2000 as part of the City of York Council project.

Coun Vaughan said: "We're trying to encourage every citizen in the city to do something to improve the quality of life in their neighbourhood or community."

Pledges could range from clearing up litter or cycling to work to helping out neighbours or at a school. Project co-ordinator Ruth Batty said: "If everyone does a small thing in their own neighbourhood, it will have a big impact."

Coun Vaughan, who is ward councillor for Huntington and New Earswick, made this pledge: "As part of the drive to end bullying in all York schools, I will spend an hour every month with schools in Huntington and New Earswick raising children's awareness of the Anti-Bullying Campaign."

Your chance to make a resolution that counts

by Bill Hearld

Did you make a New Year's resolution. Have you managed to stick to it?

Here's your chance to make a resolution for the start of a new Millennium - and help make a better life in and around York.

City of York Council today launches its Citizens' Pledge scheme in which groups or individuals can sign up to do their bit for their city, for their neighbourhood or for the environment throughout the Year 2000.

And the Evening Press has joined forces with the council to support and promote this worth-while venture.

There are hundreds of ways you can make a difference, either with a solo effort or as a member of a group.

You could sign up to help tidy or improve your neighbourhood; or you could pledge to cycle or walk to work instead of using the car. You could become more litter conscious or contribute towards energy savings by using low-energy light bulbs or cutting down on excessive lighting or heating.

You could pledge to help out with community projects or assist with the fight against crime in your neighbourhood.

Each week the Evening Press will follow the progress of the scheme, highlighting the pledges with pictures and stories about group and individual efforts as we did with our Proud to be York campaign which was also designed to improve our city.

Several pledges are already in the pipeline. One city councillor has bought a moped to use around the city instead of his car; a local school is to sign up with a pledge that pupils will not drop litter; one individual is determined to reduce traffic in the city; and one community action group is determined to improve the local estate.

The Evening Press will be looking closely at these and other pledges in the coming weeks.

One group which has already promised to sign the pledge is: Leeman Road Environmental Action Force (LEAF), winners of the community section in last year's Evening Press Proud to be York campaign.

The action group of local residents got together because they wanted to retain and improve what little green space is still left in the Leeman Road area.

With the help of grants and fundraising they financed a professional feasibility study for three neighbouring green sites which they intend to preserve and enhance for the benefit of residents and wildlife, and protect from development.

Plans include creating a Millennium Green wildlife park, a teenage and toddler park, a memorial garden and reinstating the bowling green. Their scheme, which has been granted charitable status, will provide facilities for the young and the old and will benefit the whole area.

And their Citizens' Pledge is that members of the group will sign up on a training course in site supervision and contract compliance to enable them to continue developing their project.

Secretary Mary Rothery said: "We are ploughing on with our scheme but by signing up to the Citizens' Pledge we are reaffirming our commitment to improve a corner of York."

City of York Council is producing a leaflet with ideas on how residents can get involved in the Citizens' Pledge. The council's urban manager, Andrew Gillespie, and neighbourhood worker, Ruth Batty, will attend neighbourhood forum meetings around the city during January and February to promote the project.

Ideas on what to pledge include learning new skills to benefit others, including

Taking a Sports Leader Award in order to set up a local community sports group

Assisting your local school by taking the "How to help at School" course

Help others by gaining counselling skills

Volunteering and training to be a mentor for young people

Participating in first aid training

Volunteering to help with learning support.

Climate change is now recognised as one of the biggest threats to mankind. Car exhaust fumes are one of the major causes of global warming.You can make a real difference by:

Organising a walking bus for your local primary school

Leave the car at home once a week and instead use a more sustainable way of travelling

Use a bicycle for shorter journeys.

You can make your community a safer and happier area by:

Knowing your neighbours are keeping an eye on your property whilst you're on holiday

Helping to sort out disputes between neighbours

Putting your own and your neighbours view.

Shopping for an elderly neighbour once a week

Looking after someone for an hour to give their 'Carer' a break

Forming a baby-sitting circle

Visiting a housebound neighbour.

You can take more care of the environment:

Join a local conservation project to preserve a site of historical interest

Promise not to drop litter

Put up a bird box to encourage wildlife in your garden

Recyle your rubbish, donate old clothes unwanted goods to your local charity shop

Use energy saving bulbs, turn off lights, insulate your loft.

The Emergency Planning Unit (EPU) of City of York Council is looking for suitable volunteers who are able to assist it in the event of a major incident or emergency.

Everyday the emergency services throughout the York area are called to deal with circumstances which make use of their knowledge and skills to safeguard life and property.

The work could involve assisting in the registration and care of evacuees at an emergency reception centre or answering telephone helplines or log-keeping in the council's emergency or "drop in" centres. Specialist skills such as nursing, First Aid, languages (translating) and word-processing would help.

Ruth, one of the scheme's organisers, said: "The Citizens' Pledge Project has been designed to encourage people to do something which will improve the quality of life in their community/neighbourhood.

"It is a joint project between the Millennium "Count Me In" initiative and the Local Agenda 21 Project. It is similar to a New Year resolution except that each one will be made in public and shared with others.

"The one stipulation of the Citizens' Pledge is that the benefits will continue into the Millennium. We hope that the Citizens' Pledge Project will encourage a shared sense of community amongst the people who participate, and that it will inspire others even if they do not formally make a pledge."

People can make their pledges from today and they will be issued with a certificate to commemorate their involvement. The aim is to collect at least 2,000 pledges.

For more information, or to sign up for the pledge contact Neighbourhood Worker, Ruth Batty, on 01904 551066, or write to Ruth care of Citizens' Pledge Scheme, Citizens' Support Group, 2 Blake Street, York, YO1 8QG

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.