Highland communities get Spring cleaning

Across the Highlands, schools and community groups are turning out to Spring Clean their local environmental. Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) is encouraging groups all over Scotland to organise events in May, and register them on their website.

The ‘Clean Up Scotland’ campaign aims to engage as many people as possible in helping to make Scotland the cleanest country in Europe.

Already a number of Highland primary schools, including Ullapool, Ballachulish, Strathgarve, Inverie, Reay, Morar and Carbost, have registered events as has the nursery at Arisaig; and other groups in the wider community are also getting involved.

Bank holiday Monday, 4 May sees clean ups in Aviemore, Coylumbridge and Rothiemurchus organised by Hilton Worldwide Corporations. On Wednesday, 13 May there is a beach clean at North Kessock organised by The Marine Conservation Society and Marks and Spencer.  On the same day Carrbridge Community Council are having a village clean.

Broadford Youth Club on the Isle of Skye, helped by primary school pupils and the International Otter Survival Fund, are having a beach and village clean on Saturday 16 May; and the following Saturday, 23 May, Abellio Scotrail (the new Scotrail franchise) have a clean-up at Ardgay Train Station, Sutherland, on the Far North Line.

KSB are co-ordinating a national coalition of supporters for ‘Clean Up Scotland’,  small and large businesses, public bodies and charities. Organisations such as Visit Scotland, McDonald's, Historic Scotland, BT, Scottish Water, SSE, Wrigley, The Scottish Government and all 32 local authorities have already committed to supporting the campaign.

KSB can provide groups with a Clean Up kit which includes protective child tabards, stickers, pledge form and poster. The Highland Council can lend litter-pickers and hi-vis vests, supply black bags and disposable gloves and arrange the uplift of collected rubbish.

To find out more about Clean Up Scotland, find an event in your area or to register an event visit: http://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/local-environmental-quality/clean-up-scotland/.

To contact The Highland Council Waste Team phone 01349 886603 or email recycle@highland.gov.uk.