Clean for the Queen: Shops sprucing up Sunderland for monarch's 90th birthday

Sunderland City centre business's cleaning the High Street, left to right, Laura Bell, Laura Hartland-Adams, Sheila Robson, Karen Ayton, Abby Williams, Donna Flood, and Martin Kemp.

On the weekend of March 4-6, people in the UK are being asked to help tidy up the country, in advance of the Queen’s official 90th birthday celebrations in June.

City stores, working closely with the city’s Business Improvement District (Bid), are now poised to sweep into action and give the centre a spruce.

Boots, Santander, Marks & Spencer, Greggs and EE have joined forces with the Bid to help make the city centre a more vibrant place and to encourage more visitors.

As part of that campaign the five retailers have also got behind the Clean Up For the Queen initiative, with staff from all companies tidying up in and around the centre.

Clean ups will take place at Derwent Street, Olive Street, Blandford Street and Vine Place, where people will be litter picking and sweeping.

Areas in John Street, Frederick Street and West Sunniside will also be allocated litter pickers.

“We work very closely with the retailers in the city centre because we all have one aim – to ensure that Sunderland is a safe, clean and vibrant place to visit,” said Ken Dunbar, chief executive of Sunderland Bid.

“It’s great to see a group of major retailers really come together in this way and be part of a national event, but one which will also make a real difference to Sunderland.”

The stores involved are all part of the Healthy High Streets initiative, which aims to help improve footfall and create jobs.