Residents Help Make Glasgow’s West-End Litter Free Zone

Volunteers in Glasgow’s west end have joined forces in a bid to clean up the streets of Hillhead.

Thirteen helpers equipped with litter pickers gathered for the Clean Glasgow litter-pick this week.

Residents, students and neighbourhood improvement volunteers (NIVs) from Clean Glasgow were among those to take part in the initiative, which saw them cover Gibson Street, Bank Street and Otago Street.

Graeme Bald, a NIV who helped lead the clean-up, commented: “We had a great afternoon out in the sunshine cleaning up streets in and around Hillhead.

“It was terrific to see people taking ownership of the local area and getting involved in their local community.”

Mr Bald, 64, of Bank Street, continued: “There seems to be a general consensus among a lot of people that if they drop litter someone else will pick it up, so it’s important to talk to people when we are out to change attitudes to throwing things away in the street.”

The clean-up formed part of a joint effort between community group Action Hillhead, the University of Glasgow and the institution’s environmental sustainability team to help keep the area tidy. It comes as Clean Glasgow steps up efforts to make the city a cleaner and safer place to be, working with residents to try and share responsibility for the environment.

Councillor Frank McAveety, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of Clean Glasgow, said: “Well done to everyone who took to the streets for this Hillhead clean-up.

“Led by neighbourhood improvement volunteers, they are making a real difference to their local community.

“Together we can prevent people littering, leaving dog mess, dumping waste illegally, graffiting and advertising on public spaces without permission.”

More information on Clean Glasgow is available by logging on to: www.glasgow.gov.uk/cleanglasgow.