A local activist group has launched a new initiative to raise awareness of the increasing glass problem on the streets of Jesmond.

Funded by the community group Keep Jesmond Clean, the campaign will run throughout the 2019/20 academic year. The scheme has been supported by organisations with ties to Jesmond, with Newcastle University, NUSU and Jesmond Community Pool and Gym giving donations.

To raise awareness and protect local residents against the rising glass epidemic, Keep Jesmond Clean have placed banners across the area.

“This is a really exciting campaign for us. Keep Jesmond Clean wanted to find a way to highlight how dangerous broken glass can be, not just to people,” said Dan Perry of Keep Jesmond Clean.

“The posters have a great visual impact and we hope people take care of glass in the streets and if they break it then they clear it up afterwards.”

The increase in the broken glass has not only caused disruption to Jesmond residents. Local pets have also been caught in the crossfire.

Jesmond resident George Gibson described his cat’s paws had been turned “pink and black with dry blood” by the broken glass on the roads. Gibson now checks for glass in his garden and house.

Jeannie Davison’s dog suffered a similar fate earlier this year, resulting in “eight extremely painful trips to the vets and surgery” after fragments of glass were found in her greyhound’s paw. Brock, Jeannie’s greyhound, suffered an infection in the wound, resulting in a vet bill of £900.

“Broken glass in Jesmond has become a huge issue,” she said. “Today alone I have reported smashed bottles on the pavements in three separate locations in South Jesmond alone and the problem is getting worse by the day.” 

Brock, Jeannie’s greyhound, suffered an infection in the wound, running her vet bill of £900. She states, “Broken glass in Jesmond has become a huge issue. Today alone I have reported smashed bottles on the pavements in 3 separate locations in South Jesmond and the problem is getting worse by the day.” 

With the rise of glass in September and the fall in summer, many blame the problem on students, especially over the fresher’s week. “Over the summer there is no glass,” Gibson said. 

Keith Jewitt, a member of Keep Jesmond Clean, told JesmondLocal: “A lot of people nowadays come out of pubs with glasses and a lot of those gets smashed. Frankly, it is indefensible.

“Having said that, we don’t do much on Osborne Road because the council put a lot of money into cleaning it,” he said. “It has some sort of special status, the council does more there than on any other street.”

Jewitt says the problem becomes much more apparent further down Osborne Road. “People come out of pubs, bottle in hand, drinking the bottle as they walk down Osborne Road and smash their empty bottles on the ground, which is sad frankly.”