PICTURES: Strong start for new joint effort against Huntly litter, supported by Gordon Rural Action, The Gordon Schools, Historic Environment Scotland, Edrington, Harbro, Jewsons, Aberdeenshire Council and the Bennachie Visitor Centre
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A NEW community effort united local groups for its successful first anti-litter event in Huntly.
Well-known charity Gordon Rural Action (GRA), in partnership with The Gordon Schools and “local litter picking legend” Susi McLarty, set up partnership Keep Huntly Beautiful before last week’s event.
Kayleigh Nicholls, support services coordinator at GRA, said the litter pick was also supported by staff from Historic Environment Scotland staff and Macallan whisky firm Edrington.
And support and sponsorship from Harbro, Jewsons, Aberdeenshire Council, the Bennachie Visitor Centre, the Huntly Nordic and Outdoor Centre and Huntly Community Council were also central to the effort’s success.
Ms Nicholls said she was blown away by how Huntly backed the new partnership’s efforts — and pledged to keep pushing to improve the town’s environment.
“We were so fortunate that the community supported this project,” she said.
“The event was great, and seeing this huge sense of community spirit and pride is brilliant.
“And, after the event, people got in touch to say they would come to any litter picking events we did in the future.
“So we are planning to do these as regular events throughout the year.”
She added that regular lunchtime and weekend litter picks led by Ms McLarty, who was there to lend a hand at the April 5 event, were the “inspiration” behind the formation of Keep Huntly Beautiful.
She added: “Susi was instrumental in helping us set up the event, and her passion and enthusiasm for keeping the community tidy has been an inspiration to us here at GRA.
“Myself and Susi have set up a Facebook page called Keep Huntly Beautiful where we will post the dates of these organised litter picks.
“And we have more plans for environmental action in the community coming soon.”
Representing GRA at the litter pick were a host of the charity’s volunteers, staff and their families.
Helpers also came courtesy of Historic Environment Scotland along with staff from Edrington, as part of the whisky company’s Giving More project.
Pupil Joshua McNeil was also there to represent The Gordon Schools, who is involved with school plans to help the town’s environment and, in particular, slash local litter.
Ms Nicholls added that the school agreed to partner with GRA for the first Keep Huntly Beautiful event and to provide a number of litter pickers for volunteers.
And responding to a call from the GRA Facebook page, members of the public also came to lend a hand.
Huntly Community Council awarded GRA a £490 grant to purchase the new effort’s own litter pickers and hoops.
Ms Nicholls said the smaller litter pickers they purchased were “great for the children who helped on the day”, the youngest of which was just three-years-old.
It was important, she added, that the effort included Huntly’s young people to encourage them to continue looking after the town when they grow older.
“At the event, there were children ranging from three-years-old right up to 15,” she said.
“And it is something we want to pass on to the younger generation, that is why its so important we involve them with these litter picks.”
She added that anyone keen to do their own litter pick can borrow GRA’s equipment, even if they can’t attend an organised litter pick.
The charity hopes to store the items across Huntly in future, to make it easier for those who would like to get involved.
Local businesses Harboro and Jewsons also donated gloves for the new partnership’s ongoing efforts, while Aberdeenshire Council and the Bennachie Visitor Centre also lent the team litter pickers and hoops.
Huntly Asda, meanwhile donated bin bags to the community effort.
The Huntly Nordic and Outdoor Centre provided shelter to the group, after the snowy litter pick, along with hot drinks.
Aberdeenshire Council also picked up the collected litter at the end of the event.
