GREAT Lakes graffiti buster Ted Bickford’s strategy to keep the town graffiti free is involve and educate local children.
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And after 20 years following that strategy, he believes what the region has achieved is unprecedented in NSW.
On Monday Mr Bickford took Great Lakes College year 9 students Sophie Collins and Paige Sutton along Breckenridge St in Forster to put an anti-graffiti coat over signs, so if they are painted on they can be easily cleaned.
Sophie and Paige are part of an 11-student team, a small part of the wider involvement activities that Mr Bickford runs to reduce graffiti.
“Each of us get a day to go out and help the community,” Sophie said.
“I like this kind of work because it is not just one person keeping the town clean.”
The young people that help Mr Bickford are from all walks of life.
Mr Bickford has worked with young people in school, juvenile justice and with asperses.
“What we really want to get across is what we are achieving and how good the kids are,” Mr Bickford said.
“We need to empathise that 95% of them are doing the right thing.”
Over the summer holidays with the influx of tourists, Mr Bickford believes the amount of graffiti will rise.
Mr Bickford said if anyone saw any graffiti in the area or wanted to volunteer with him over the holidays, phone him on 0408 440 309.
