Southside and Central Community Clean-up
Volunteers from the University of Edinburgh held a trial of a community clear-up last month. The initiative was led by a second year medical student, Cuchulainn Gent.
Students, staff and members of the public joined together to clear the streets of litter. The local council kindly supplied bin bags and litter pickers. Meeting at the Pleasance, the volunteers focused on the nearby area.
Cuchulainn Gent, who organised the event, said:
“My old high school, Nyborg Gymnasium, organised community clean-ups, which helped keep the city's nature unpolluted, and allowed us to break down barriers between students and residents. The clean-up is an annual event, spearheaded by the teachers, and we would have a massive turnout.
“Having now done our trial clean-up, we learned what hurdles we needed to overcome, and how we can improve for next year. Hopefully, we can gain the support of more students and staff, and make this an annual event, which people will look forward to.”
In Edinburgh, many groups organise clean-ups, but nothing had been organised by the University itself, or the Student's Association so far, so I contacted them about it. They were keen to help out, which led to a trial in the Southside.
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