9 May 2000

A Christchurch electronic company will clean off graffiti on buildings in Washington Way tomorrow.

Omron Electronics Ltd of Washington Way will spend the morning on 11 May, from 9am, cleaning graffiti off the buildings that are adjacent to the skateboard facility.

The manager, Greg Fox, said the company celebrated the founding of the firm each year (Omron was founded in 1933) by "showing corporate responsibility."

Omron staff world-wide, 23,000 of them, was asked to do something to support the local community, he said.

"We think the clean-up in own backyard will be worthwhile."

The cleaning is expected to last all morning.

A Christchurch City Council graffiti co-ordinator, Peter Francis, welcomed the public-spirited gesture and said it was it keeping with the Council’s intention to tackle graffiti around the city as quickly as possible.

Hundreds of calls have been received on the graffiti hotline (0800 TAGGED or 824433) since it was launched at the end of March. The Mayor, Garry Moore, said then: "I’ve got one simple message to give out to Christchurch taggers – the party is over. Christchurch will now have zero tolerance for tagging."

Further information: Greg Fox: 366 5091.