Kids brave rain to take part in McDonald’s litter pick

Renfrewshire kids were ‘ lovin it’ as they joined McDonald’s on a big environmental clean-up.

Armed with litter grabbers, Paisley youngsters braved the drizzly weather and took to the streets for a litter pick organised by the fast food chain’s Gallowhill restaurant.

Pupils from Gallowhill Primary marched around the town for two hours in Tuesday, joined by school teachers, McDonald’s franchisee Peter O’Keefe and community police officers PC Ross Wilson and PC Corrie Keith.

The annual clean-up, which supports environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, was launched as part of an initiative to improve the community’s appearance.

Child development officer for Gallowhill Primary, Ann Rae, said the kids were delighted with the bags of rubbish they had managed to collect.

She told: “Despite the rainy weather, the kids were so excited about the event and they really got stuck in.

“We had a competition to see who could pick the most litter and the kids were stopping to tell passers-by and members of the public about the positive work they were doing.

“They also loved having the community police officers there — they were so eager to tell them about the recycling that they do in school.

“McDonald’s kindly gave the pupils free food vouchers after the event as a reward for their hard work, so I think that was the icing on the cake for many.”

SNP councillor Cathy McEwan, was also there to lend a helping hand.

She said it was refreshing to see youngsters so on board with the clean-up.

She explained: “I have never seen school children so enthusiastic.

“It was a fantastic day, made even better by kids who really threw themselves into the task.

“A big tick to McDonald’s for always working to promote innovative change in the community.”

PC Ross Wilson said he hopes the day will have helped stir progressive change.

He claimed: “Litter is always an issue in the community and Police Scotland receives a lot of complaints to do with rubbish and dog fouling.

“It ’ s important to raise awareness, especially with young kids, to get them putting litter in the bin from a young age.”

Despite the rainy weather, the kids were so excited about the event and they really got stuck in