Dakota’s passion for Coningsby community

A seven-year-old girl is leading the way in Coningsby encouraging others to have pride in their community.

Dakota Hammond has always been community minded, donating toys and clothes of her own to those less fortunate, and has also been litter picking and cleaning up in the village in recent months, joining in with the Coningsby Wombles.

Her mum Danica explained that her daughter used to hate seeing rubbish on the floor even as young as four, and would stop and put rubbish into the bin and encourage all of her family to do so.

“When we saw the Wombles, Dakota was keen to be more official with the picking, I think she sees it as a little job,” she said, “She's so proud to wear her high viz jacket representing the group.”

Dakota has been upset by the amount of rubbish being left around the village by other children, and has even produced her own poster to send to schools and friends to encourage them to put litter in the bins around the village.

This is when Coningsby Town Council clerk Kathy Roberts got in touch and has agreed to help Dkota share her posters around the village.

“I am so so proud of her, she's so mature for seven with regards to her care for others and the community,”

On top of this, Dakota has also, with a little help from Danica, set up a fundraiser for Coningsby & Tattershall Lions as part of her aim to clean up and make change, as their community values align with her own.

Dakota said: “I am sad to see so much rubbish, and I want to not only help clean up but be sponsored for my work to help the Lions with their good work for others.

"They even help families at Christmas.”

Coun Amanda Bowen, Mayor of Coningsby, said: “We should all take a leaf out of Dakota's book; this young lady at 7 years old, is inspirational, spreading the word not only litter picking but raising funds for the Lions to give back to the needy. Thank you from all at Coningsby Town Council."

To make a donation to Dakota’s appeal, visit her JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/dakota-hammond-1701127255474?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fdakota-hammond-1701127255474&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share