Pupils across Cambuslang’s nine primary and two high schools worked hard to clear the areas around their schools in preparation for COP26, as part of a 26 Bags for 26 Days campaign.

Just as its name suggests, the campaign sets each school a goal of collecting 26 bags of rubbish over 26 days.

The Cleaning Up Cambuslang group, jointly supported by Halfway and Cambuslang Community Councils, suggested the project to the local schools and was delighted with the response.

Suzy Quinn, from Cambuslang Community Council, said: “We wanted to capitalise on all the attention COP26 coming to Glasgow has been generating about the environment and wanted to involve the schools in a way that would engage our young people in a responsible way within their local environment.

“Litter-dropping and fly-tipping have always been an issue but, since lockdown started, it’s got worse, so it seemed a great issue to target at this time. The local schools were really positive when we contacted them about it and Cleaning Up Cambuslang was able to provide them with litter-pickers, protective gloves and litter bags.

“The children took to it whole-heartedly and we hope that this enthusiasm will spill over to others and continue into the future.”

Also impressed by the response to 26 Bags for 26 Days campaign was South Lanarkshire Councillor Katy Loudon, Chair of Education at the council.

She said: “It has been incredibly inspirational to see the enthusiasm of the children for this project. COP26 and the issues it highlights are filling the news, and rightly so, but this also shows the strong feeling that exists to keep the local area as beautiful as we can, and to protect our immediate local environment.

“There are global matters that can be, and should be, addressed by governments and industries, but seeing the efforts put into things like 26 Bags for 26 Days campaign reminds us that we can all play a part, and that no effort is too small to make a difference.

“Young people will inherit the world and the attitudes shown here can give us all hope for the future.”