A 51-year-old resident of Launceston, Cornwall, has been clearing neglected pathways and overgrown vegetation at his own expense, earning widespread appreciation from the community and social media users. According to BBC News, Jeremy Vernon has undertaken the work despite having had a kidney removed due to cancer, spending his free time removing brambles, scraping weeds, and pressure washing steps across the town.
Vernon said he receives no payment for the work and covers all materials and fuel costs from his own pocket.
"I'm not getting paid for it and all the materials and fuel is coming out of my own pocket,"he explained. The work has resonated strongly with residents, who have expressed gratitude for his efforts to improve public spaces.
Why did he start clearing paths?
Vernon began the work after noticing neglected paths while walking his partner's dog, according to The Post. He moved back to Cornwall from Wiltshire after his cancer diagnosis, seeking what he described as a
"better, nicer pace of life."Before relocating, he had already cleared approximately 400 metres of overgrown path in Wiltshire and repaired a destroyed bench along it.
Vernon is a self-employed steel erector who has worked on rollercoasters and film sets, including Death on the Nile and Ready Player One. Despite his work commitments in London, he dedicates his time in Cornwall to improving local spaces.
What motivates him to do this work?
Vernon said the primary motivation is
"the satisfaction after walking down the path after it has been cleaned and the reaction you get from members of the public and people on social media that seem to appreciate what's being done."He also views the work as beneficial to his health.
"It keeps you fit and I think it is better than going to the gym,"he said.
In one notable project, he cut back brambles and scraped away weeds before spending several hours pressure washing steps. According to The Post, he worked on routes from Station Road to Cross Lanes, with the Station Road job remaining unfinished. He estimated that clearing almost half a kilometre at Liftondown took 12 to 15 hours.
What are the permission issues?
Vernon encountered bureaucratic obstacles when attempting to formalise his volunteer work. He contacted Launceston Town Council, which explained that the pathways were not under its jurisdiction and directed him to Cornwall Council.
"I have rang them two or three times explaining that I have the public liability insurance but I don't have permission to be where I am so it kind of invalidates my insurance,"he said.
In response, Cornwall Council issued a statement supporting resident volunteering.
"We support residents volunteering and our contractor Cormac oversees a range of community-led projects on council land, from working on woodland to re-wilding parks to weeding open spaces. Last year 60,000 hours of volunteering were undertaken on council land."The council explained that to ensure volunteers can work safely and receive indemnity insurance, they must register with Cormac at volunteers@cormacltd.co.uk.
How has the community responded?
Resident Elz Ravenscroft asked Vernon to clear overgrown bushes on the pavement that her daughter uses to walk to and from school.
"Jeremy has worked so hard for all of town and gone above and beyond for us all out of his own free time. We're all so massively grateful for all his hard work and dedication to the town and town's people,"she said. She highlighted his work making the zigzag a safe space to walk through and tidying up graffitied benches down the Ridgegrove.
"The man honestly deserves so much recognition by the town council and beyond for all he's done,"Ravenscroft added.
What happens next?
According to The Post, Vernon was reported to be taking a break from clearing paths while awaiting permission from Cornwall Council to continue his work. He was considering other Launceston locations to improve but said he was waiting to hear whether he could resume his volunteer efforts.
