Spring Clean Success
The Highland Council has been presented with a quaich by Keep Scotland Beautiful in recognition for the tremendous success of their National Spring Clean campaign which saw 2,100 people in the Highlands participating, the highest number of any local authority in Scotland and the highest number per head of population.
Early this year in April, volunteers from thirty groups from across the Highlands participated in the spring clean initiative promoted by Keep Scotland Beautiful. These volunteers came from community councils, schools, youth groups, businesses, and included council staff. They spent their time cleaning up local areas within their community, ranging from public green spaces, to school grounds, woodlands, riversides and beaches.
Highland Council encouraged many groups to get involved in the campaign and offered assistance to remove and dispose of rubbish collected.
After presenting the quiach during yesterday’s TEC Services Committee, John Summers OBE, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: ‘The KSB Spring Clean Quaich has been presented to Highland Council for having the highest percentage participation in clean-ups per head of population, as well as the highest number of participants per council area. The sheer number of people who volunteered to really make a difference to their own area is staggering, especially when this was the first national Spring Clean event for several years. We are extremely grateful to Highland Council for geeing up enthusiasm in the event, and to all the volunteers for taking part.
‘Whilst we are delighted that so many people got involved with this year’s clean up event, unfortunately until littering becomes socially unacceptable the underlying problem – litter on our streets, beaches and open spaces – will continue and community clean up events will still be necessary, both to raise awareness of the issue and to make a difference and actually remove litter.’
Chairman of the TEC Services Committee, Councillor John Laing praised the efforts of staff and volunteers. He said: “We were delighted to give our support to the clean up campaign and the huge response from volunteers of all ages to tidy up areas in their communities was very encouraging. For the Highlands to have the highest number of people involved in the whole of Scotland is a great achievement. It highlights people’s desire to promote their communities as clean and welcoming places for visitors and locals to enjoy. On behalf of the Council I would like to congratulate everyone involved.”