Anyone who lives in and loves Helston is being urged to muck in with a week-long spring clean of the town.

Town Tidy Week begins this Saturday, April 13 and runs until Friday next week, April 19.

Organised by the Helston Business Improvement Partnership (HBIP), its members have already made a start by washing and scrubbing away dirt on some of the town’s road signs and shop fronts over the last few weeks.

Around six of the businesses in the town have also received a spruce up already, with frontages – and the storeys above – cleaned and repainted.

The HBIP’s aesthetics group, led by Scott Hesketh, is now calling for volunteers to help with further clean-up projects as part of a six-week schedule to get Helston looking its best in time for Flora Day. Scott said: “It’s time to clean up this town. Now that we’ve made a start and seen what’s involved we’ve been able to draw up a schedule to clean up the whole town.

“But we need a lot of help. I need volunteers to help with weeding, jet washing and picking up litter. Some of our streets and car parks, like Furry Way, have been left too long, they’re really badly overgrown and it’ll take a galvanised effort to get them looking ship shape.”

Volunteers are needed for the first day of Town Tidy Week this Saturday between noon and 4pm, and then between 4pm and 8pm next Monday to Thursday.

The final day will be Friday next week, with a session between 4pm and 7pm followed by an after party and drinks in the Angel Hotel to thank all the helpers.

Anyone who wants to help should contact Scott on 07970 054023. People can also register to help online at aesthetics@helstonbip.co.uk or on Helston Town Tidy page on Facebook. There will be a public meeting tonight, Wednesday, at 7pm in the Angel Hotel for helpers to discuss health and safety and receive an outline of the work planned. The aesthetics group has allocated various portions of its annual budget to different projects: £5,000 has been set aside to improve the signage into and around Helston, while 20 grants of £250 are being given to shop and business owners who are able to significantly improve the exterior of their premises in time for Flora Day.

Applications are already submitted and being reviewed before allocation of grants; there is also an additional £5,000 specifically for empty or badly derelict properties that need considerable refurbishment, although the landlords must match fund the grant money.

One building that has already agreed to a complete redecoration is Bradley’s estate agents, which has been given a grant by the HBIP towards its £3,800 facelift.

Mr Hesketh added: “It’s the first time I’ve really felt the town is pulling together and that’s what we’re trying to achieve.”

The May 8 Flora Day deadline is by no means the end of Helston’s clean-up campaign, however.

Rolling programmes are being planned to keep the town looking good and the HBIP are in negotiation with private businesses to provide sponsorship for contracts to maintain local roundabouts and provide hanging baskets for the main shopping streets.