What started as a daily walk following his wife’s death has turned into an 11-year mission to clean up the streets for an 85-year-old Mosgiel man.
Brian Larsen, who has lived in Mosgiel since 1961, has become a fixture in the community, many people in Mosgiel spotting him with his plastic bag full of rubbish and grabber day in and day out.
"I think everybody knows when I go out walking. Whenever the fire truck goes past they toot at me.
"One young girl gave me a box of groceries filled with food and other goodies and a kind woman once handed me a Countdown $30 voucher — it’s a good community out here."
The routes used to be much longer, and he used to go out for three walks in a day, but has recently realised it is time to take life at a slower pace.
"I went down to the bowling club for an early meal at 6 o’clock — I was sitting in there and next thing I woke up and I was in an ambulance and spent the night in Dunedin Hospital.
"I’ve cut that out now — it’s gotten a wee bit too much at my age, so I’m down to one walk a day."
Mr Larsen said cleaning up the streets around his house was about keeping his community tidy and staying active.
"Under the Mosgiel sign is usually a mess. The young ones must have some parties under the Mosgiel sign because it’s full of rubbish.
"I usually go up there once a week, but I won’t be able to walk that any more, and I can’t be driving up there any more."
Mr Larsen picks up rubbish and puts it into one of his plastic New World bags, before taking it home, rinsing the recycling and putting it in his bin.
Anything that could be reused gets sorted and given to anyone who needed the items.
Mr Larsen said he would continue to pick up rubbish as long as his body let him.
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