A chance conversation resulted in a dream come true for young Max Barnett, when South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) arranged for him to sit behind the wheel of a brand-new waste collection lorry.
Max, from Grantham, visited the council’s Mowbeck Way Street Scene HQ with his dad Martin after chatting to supervisor Rob Hughes as he walked into work.
Wearing high-viz gear and under close supervision, Max found out all about the lorry and its controls – and had a demo of the way it compacts household waste and makes room for more.
Max said: “I like it when the bins go upside down. My favourite part today was when the back opened. I’ve got loads of toy lorries at home – I like all the road sweepers too.”
The £169,000 Dennis Eagle Euro 6 can hold 11 tonnes of rubbish and weighs 15 tonnes empty.
The six-year-old was given the tour by Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations, Cllr Dr Peter Moseley, and Street Scene Supervisor Mark Miller, accompanied by Rob Hughes.
Cllr Dr Moseley said: “It was a pleasure to meet young Max, who is very knowledgeable about the vehicles we use to take away everyone’s household waste.
“It was the first time that I had seen our new lorry too. It hasn’t even been out on the rounds yet, so this was a real VIP experience for all of us. I hope Max will be inspired to follow a career in waste management – it’s a fascinating area and vital to protecting the local environment as well as the planet’s resources.”
Max’s dad added: “Max had a great time. Thanks go to South Kesteven for arranging it all. It was a real bonus for him to see something so new and have a go at the controls. Rob, Mark and the team made Max’s day.”
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