HE’S cycled across the Americas, written and had a book published and plans to walk to the North coast of Scotland in the future.

He is also a champion of the Skipton community and is passionate about the fight against litter.

Trevor Lund, a Skipton resident and teaching assistant in Ilkley, has been nominated as this month’s Salt of the Earth recipient.

Each month, in association with North Yorkshire County Council, we feature someone who is a champion of the community who goes that extra mile to help others or do some good deed that affects everyone.

Before lockdown in March, a community group called Skipton Step Into Action was formed to help the most vulnerable in the district. Volunteers have been carrying out jobs like shopping, collecting medication and dog walking to help the elderly, disabled and those who were forced to shield from coronavirus.

Trevor said he was so impressed with the group he became a member and is now on the committee and shares the group’s passion to make Skipton a better place.

“I thought they were doing a brilliant job and although I only delivered shopping and things a few times it was good to be able to do something useful. The litter picking came a bit later,” he said.

Lately the shopping service has not been needed as much and the group discussed what members would like to do to help support the town and creating a team to help tidy the streets was begun.

Trevor created and motivated a band of around 20 members who meet on Tuesday evenings for around an hour-and-a-half.

“I have made contacts with Skipton Town Council who have been very helpful. The councils have suffered from a lack of funding and man-power so we feel what we are doing is helpful for the town. People are often remarking that this is the council’s job, but they haven’t the resources. “It is disheartening when we tidy an area and the following week it is back to its untidy state, but we hope the message will eventually get across and people start using the bins. We have plenty of bins in town.

“If people just picked up 10 pieces of litter each day everywhere would be so much tidier. Just because they haven’t dropped it doesn’t mean they can’t pick it up.

“I don’t know why people drop it in the first place.

“The same can be said about businesses such as takeaways, shops and supermarkets and we are asking them to spend five minutes at the end of their working day to clear up any litter from outside their premises instead of letting it blow away down the street.

“We are also trying to get businesses to use less packaging because it is often this that is causing the littering problem and also puts a strain on the environment.

“There is also the problem of cigarette ends. There are millions and are difficult to pick up, but they are classed as litter and look terrible.”

Trevor said the group places the litter it collects in the bins and if these are full many of the members take it home and put it in their own bins.

The group has also attracted younger people to help out.

“There are two teenage girls who regularly clear up around Aireville Park and there is a nine-year-old boy who comes along with his mother on Tuesdays to help out.”

Trevor says he is happy to carry on leading the group despite being back at work as he feels he is doing his bit in Skipton and hopes more people will join the group when they see what a difference they make to an area.

He may take a break next year to fulfil his dream of walking from him home to Cape Wrath, in the North of Scotland, and back.

He has already proved himself an adventurer after cycling 16,000 miles solo through the Americas 20 years ago.

He charted his journey in a book, North to Alaska, which he brought out in January. He said the reason he left it so long to put pen to paper was because after completing another cycle journey – a brutal winter crossing of the USA by bike five years ago - he realised his twin sister, pregnant at the time of his 16,000-mile journey, knew little about his adventure.

He brought out his book and has been surprised by the level of interest it has received - more than 2,000 copies to date.

In the meantime, he continues to inspire others to care for the environment, in between cycling in the Dales and his job at Ilkley Grammar School.

And it was this determination and care for the community which prompted Skipton Step Into Action member Sally Goodman to put his name forward as Salt of the Earth.

She said: “Trevor has been an active member of Skipton Step into Action since it started and once lockdown eased he started a community litter pick.

“He has organised litter grabbers, donated by the Council and Skipton Building Society and bags, so that anyone can join in.

“He has spoken with the big supermarkets about them helping to clear the litter on their grounds and he has such a kind but assertive way about him. “He is very modest and says he doesn’t want to be the organiser, but he is a natural leader. “He will be very embarrassed by this nomination, but I think he deserves it. It’s brought people together for a common cause and is making a difference to the town.”

To nominate someone as Salt of the Earth go to: SaltOfTheEarth@northyorks.gov.uk