‘We had the skills, so we acted’: Bury’s ‘one-stop community gritting service’ helps out during icy blast

Bury: A couple of maintenance workers have really stepped up during this icy weather. Howard Heffernan and Dan Dickinson have been busy helping out in their community.

For the past week, they’ve been filling grit bins and clearing icy steps for elderly and disabled folks. They’ve even been lending a hand to drivers stuck in the snow around Bury, Ramsbottom, and Radcliffe.

Howard, who’s 32, mentioned they set up a “one-stop community hotline” to tackle the icy conditions. They work for Heffernan Services, a local property maintenance and landscaping company, and have made playgrounds safe for kids too.

Bury Council has said they can’t keep up with the demand for grit bins right now. Their focus has been on gritting the main roads first, which makes sense, but it leaves some areas in need.

Howard said, “We knew we had the skills and resources to make a difference, so we decided to act.” They’re responding to every request they get, whether it’s filling grit bins or helping a stuck van.

They’ve even made a list of elderly and disabled residents who need a bit of extra help. Just this morning, they helped a lady whose steps were completely covered in ice.

Dan has been busy topping up grit bins too. They’ve been dropping off grit in places like Ramsbottom town center, where it’s really needed.

Howard has been doing some gritting for a couple of years, but things really took off after a video he posted went viral. It showed him making the roads safer and got over 279,000 views!

Thanks to that attention, they’ve been flooded with requests. They’ve even received donations to buy materials, and they’re transparent about their spending by posting receipts online.

Local suppliers have been super generous too, giving them discounts to help keep their efforts going. It’s great to see the community come together like this!