Primary kids join the cleaning campaign

Jan 5 2009 by Alison Rennie, Paisley Daily Express

PRIMARY school pupils swapped jotters and pens for shovels and bin bags to clean up their school.

The boys and girls took part in the Paisley Daily Express’ campaign Clean Renfrewshire to tidy up their school grounds.

Armed with litter pickers, black bags and the support of the Clean Renfrewshire team, 29 primary seven pupils filled five bags of rubbish collected from their playground.

It was the first clean up organised by Bridge of Weir Primary pupils since our campaign was launched last May.

Primary seven teacher Joe Barrett, said: “I am delighted with the enthusiasm and hard work which the pupils displayed while carrying out the clean up of the school grounds.

“It is vital that they take pride in their school and that we encourage them to take an active role to keep it clean. This will help to ensure we can all work and study in a pleasant environment.

“Clean Renfrewshire has also really helped to make the children aware they must work together to ensure Renfrewshire is kept clean beyond their school gates.

“It has also helped to widen their awareness of other environmental issues and responsibilities.”

The school hopes that pupils will now take part in regular clean ups which will help them achieve a green flag from the eco schools initiative.

Since the campaign launch, more than 550 volunteers from a wide variety of youth and community groups and schools have taken part in over 30 clean ups.

Clean Renfrewshire has now moved into its second phase with the introduction of Renfrewshire wardens.

Their job is to increase awareness about the need to maintain a clean environment and issue fixed penalty notices to those who continue to drop litter or allow their dogs to foul the Renfrewshire’s streets and parks.

The wardens also have the power to issue £50 fixed penalty notices for littering and £40 fixed penalty notices for dog fouling.

Councillor Marie McGurk, Convener of Renfrewshire Council's Environment and Infrastructure Policy Board, said: “The support which pupils from Bridge of Weir Primary School have shown towards the Clean Renfrewshire campaign demonstrates that people are still determined to push the campaign further forward and make it succeed.

“Schools such as Bridge of Weir Primary have significantly contributed to the great head way which has been made over the course of the last seven months to create a cleaner and tidier Renfrewshire.

“However there is still scope for further improvement and more people must be encouraged to get on board.

“I am confident that we can all pull together and build on the success we have achieved so far to ensure Renfrewshire will be continued to be viewed as a bright and attractive place to live, work and to visit.”