People in Glasgow will be encouraged to tackle litter in their area ahead of the COP26 climate conference.

Glasgow City Council has launched a partnership with McDonald’s and Keep Scotland Beautiful that will see 20 community clean-up hubs established as part of the ‘People Make Glasgow Greener’ campaign.

Community groups from across the city are being encouraged to apply and will be provided with equipment, training and guidance.

The partnership said groups that become established as hubs will also receive up-to-date guidance and training to ensure community clean-ups are safe and in keeping with the remaining covid restrictions. 

The Herald:

Glasgow City Council and McDonald’s have provided financial backing for the new programme, and said it is hoped the hubs can act as a focal point for volunteers now that community clean-ups can resume again following the easing of covid restrictions.

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Councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, said: “The covid pandemic has been really tough time for everyone and it has affected the city in so many ways, including our ability to support community clean-ups.

"There is an army of volunteers in the city that give up tens of thousands of hours each year to remove litter from the city’s public spaces and the past eighteen months will have been frustrating for them.

“We are now in position to help the city’s litter pickers once again and the community clean-ups hubs will help to capture the positive energy that so many volunteers have for their neighbourhoods

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“There is no doubt that Glasgow would be a much tidier place if everyone put their litter in a bin in the first place. But the community hubs and the volunteers they will support can play an important part in helping to protect the city’s environment.”

Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful added: “These hubs will empower communities to tackle the litter, which we know worsened during lockdowns, in their own neighbourhoods and will support efforts across our country to clean up Scotland. 

“Unfortunately, some people still behave in an irresponsible and selfish manner, dropping their litter and leaving for others to clean up – but we know that the growing national network of 30 hubs will help people to feel they are making a difference."

Any community group interested in supporting the community hubs can register their interest with cleanup@keepscotlandbeautiful.org by the end of September.