Highland groups register to make the community shine in 2014

The independent charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has praised the record-breaking 126 community groups across Scotland that have signed up in response to its 2014. It’s your neighbourhood campaign to improve community environments. The nationally recognised campaign, which is now closed for entries, has sparked a hike of over 40 percent in interest this year from groups across Scotland - representing hundreds of volunteers, all who have committed their free time to enhance their local neighbourhoods.

Three local community groups, DiGGers, Good for Ewe and Watten Community Council have registered their support and commitment to the campaign.

Designed for community groups making environmental improvements, the non-competitive It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative, run by Keep Scotland Beautiful in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom campaign, supports and empowers those cleaning up and ‘greening’ up their immediate local areas - from the street they live in, to a patch of communal land, or a shared outdoor space.

The celebratory, non-competitive campaign sits at the heart of the Keep Scotland Beautiful Clean Up Scotland mass engagement campaign building community pride and working to make Scotland the cleanest country in Europe. Mark Bevan, Campaigns Director, of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “We work hard to bring communities together and are delighted to report such a significant boost in the number of volunteer groups across Scotland, including in Highland – this is especially heartening in the 50th anniversary year of the RHS Britain in Bloom campaign. It’s Your Neighbourhood is all about supporting community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement.  The pace of modern life makes it easy for people to detach from communities and the environment around them but this campaign evidences the impact that can be made when people unite. The success of previous campaigns evidences the positive difference volunteers are making to our neighbourhoods.  With sign up growing this year, we can be confident that this work will continue into and beyond 2015.”

Interested new groups are encouraged to find out more at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org and to register interest by contacting beautifulscotland@ksbscotland.org.uk