Inspired volunteers are set to take part once again in Spotless September as part of a drive to make local neighbourhoods cleaner and more inviting places to live, work and visit.
A key part of Renfrewshire Council’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign, the annual event has attracted thousands of volunteers as they work closely with the council to improve the cleanliness of their local area.
Volunteers are supported to carry out litter picks in their neighbourhoods throughout the month of September with the provision of equipment, bags, advice and the removal of the litter afterwards – and more than 4,800 people are part of the online community.
The event will also see another mass dog walk take place in support of the Take the Lead campaign, which aims to encourage dog owners to pick up after their pets and be responsible dog owners.
Taking place from 10am on Saturday 23 September 2023 in Robertson Park in Renfrew before the Dog Companion Show, all dog owners are invited to bring along their furry friends for a walk around the park, collect some free merchandise and pick up some top tips from St Mirin Dog Training Centre.
Owner Denise Symon said: “We have been promoting responsible dog ownership through training courses in Renfrewshire for over 30 years and it goes without saying that cleaning up after your dog is part of that. We are happy to support the council in any way we can to encourage owners to clean up after their pets.”
Spotless September will also see council officers visit schools to speak to young people about the importance of respecting their local environment, while they will also engage with local businesses to ask them to take part in the campaign and to make greener, more sustainable choices when it comes to packaging.
The lunchtime litter bin pilot will also move from Johnstone High to Gleniffer High and see additional bins added to a hotspot route, with the aim of reducing litter dropped at lunchtime and engraining using bins as a habit for pupils at the school.
Councillor Michelle Campbell, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “Spotless September is always a fantastic event, and it regularly attracts thousands of local people to take part in the Team Up to Clean Up campaign.
“We’ve been committed to working with our communities since the campaign launched in 2018 to tackle littering, dog fouling, fly tipping and gully cleaning within Renfrewshire, and we have a real, tangible difference to our local areas – and we continue to strive to change people’s behaviours who fail to respect our environment.
“I’m looking forward to another busy September for the campaign and I would encourage anyone who is passionate about where they live to get involved and take part.”
Mugs