Renfrewshire volunteers help reach a million miles of litter picking across the UK

Local volunteers from Renfrewshire’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign have helped Keep Scotland Beautiful reach their #MillionMileMission.

Volunteers have been taking part in the Summer Clean 2021 which aims to contribute to the goal of litter picking a million miles across the UK this year – and Renfrewshire volunteers have helped them surpass this target already.

More than 250 litter picks have taken place in Renfrewshire since the campaign started on 28 May and this has been converted to more than 4,000 miles – contributing to the more than 1.1million miles which have been litter picked across the UK.

The #MillionMileMission is a partnership campaign between Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Britain Tidy and Keep Wales Tidy.

Councillor Cathy McEwan, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “I’m delighted but not surprised at the enthusiasm of our volunteers and I’m glad to have been out there litter picking alongside them.

“Team Up to Clean Up has become a way of life for many people now and it’s so heartening to see the difference we are making to Renfrewshire’s environment.

“We’re working together as a council and a community, the way it should be, and I am so proud that we’ve been able to help Keep Scotland Beautiful reach their #MillionMileMission.”

As well as litter picks taking place across Renfrewshire, more than 20 workshops were carried out at local primary schools to educate the next generation on littering and how they can become involved in the Team Up to Clean Up campaign.

Michael Matheson, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, said: “Taking part in this year’s Summer Clean is a great way to help keep your local parks, beaches and neighbourhoods free of litter.

“The pandemic has shown how important our outdoor spaces are to people’s health and wellbeing. To make sure everyone can enjoy them, please get involved if you can, and put any rubbish you see in the bin, recycling it where possible.”

Team Up to Clean Up is a joint campaign which sees the Council support the community with litter pickers, bags and collection of the rubbish from litter picks, as well as an increased road sweeping and gully clearing programme and support to tackle fly tipping and dog fouling in the area.

For more information on the campaign and how to take part, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/teamuptocleanup.