Clydesdale Bank employees provide a helping hand in the community and support Clean Glasgow

Employees from the Clydesdale Bank have come together again following an earlier clean up this year to make sure that one community will not be turned into a dumping ground for litter louts and irresponsible dog owners.

In support of Glasgow City Council’s £4 million Clean Glasgow campaign, more than 30 employees from the Clydesdale Bank and volunteers from the Drumchapel Woodland Group rolled up their sleeves to tackle ‘grime crime’ in Garscaden Woods for a second time on Wednesday November 28.

Clean Glasgow aims to instil pride in city residents and punish people who break the law by littering, fly tipping, spraying graffiti and allowing their dogs to foul streets and parks - anti-social acts that cost Glasgow City Council a staggering £17m in unnecessary spending every year to clean up.

The Clydesdale Bank was approached by Scottish Business in the Community which encourages businesses to engage in community programmes. The Clydesdale Bank is committed to community projects and believed that the Clean Glasgow campaign was an ideal project to get involved in and their efforts have made a huge difference.

With the support of volunteers from the Drumchapel Woodland Group, the team removed a vast amount of litter from the Garscadden Community Woodlands, which is one of the oldest semi-natural woodlands in Glasgow, dating back to 1975.

Armed with litter pickers and black bags provided by the city council’s Clean Team, the volunteers filled two skips, two caged vans and two flat bed vans full of rubbish, which cleared the entrance to the woodlands, making it more inviting for the community to use.

Jacqui Atkinson, community affairs manager, Clydesdale Bank said: “We are committed to help the local communities in which we live and work in and are delighted to have had the opportunity to support the Clean Glasgow campaign. As well as an alternative development opportunity to strengthen team building skills, it has also raised awareness amongst employees that they have a responsibility not only to look after the area in which the live but also ensure that the environment which they work in is kept clean.

“I hope that our efforts will encourage other businesses to follow suit and become actively involved in supporting Clean Glasgow, to ensure that campaign continues to go from strength to strength.”

James Tindell, programme manager, Scottish Business in the Community said: “Companies are increasingly seeing the benefit that community volunteering delivers, not just to the local communities they serve and from which they recruit, but also to the volunteers themselves. Employees have the opportunity to benefit as individuals and as part of a team by working together in a new environment, as well as a welcome opportunity to give something back to their local community. SBC is the logical route for businesses to get actively involved with their local communities and this is just one example of how SBC can broker relationships between the voluntary and private sector to make this happen."

Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell said: “The success of Clean Glasgow to date has been significant. The people of Glasgow have shown a great deal of enthusiasm and commitment toward the campaign, which has inspired many to adopt a greater sense of pride in our city.

“Therefore, we must build on the progress made in the first six months of the campaign by continuing to enforce the message that litter louts, fly-tippers and irresponsible dog owners will be caught and fined.

“It is my aim to ensure that Glasgow’s global reputation is one of a clean and vibrant city and the foundation for that is making it clear to all that selfish acts of anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.”   

Groups or individuals who would like to get involved in community clean up events in their area are urged to call the Clean Glasgow hotline on 0800 027 7027 or access via the website www.cleanglasgow.com

Issued by the BIG Partnership on behalf of Glasgow City Council

For more information please contact

Helen Wilson  0141 333 9585       or         07762 177 568

Emmy Young  0141 333 9585       or        07824 388 514