FROM schoolkids to shopkeepers, residents of Milton turned out in force to support a Streets Ahead community clean up this week.

Organised by the inspirational team behind local organisation Love Milton, the event attracted more than 50 people.

The dedicated pupils, from Miltonbank Primary, joined teachers, parents and the owners of businesses along Skerray Street to pick up litter and tidy surrounding green spaces.

Community development worker Marina Costello said: "We had a fantastic response from the community, who came along to help tidy up the streets around the local shops.

"The clean-up was the result of our first Milton Talks survey, which is a community led questionnaire designed to find out what matters most to local people.

"They said they were tired of litter, broken glass and dog fouling on the streets, so we decided to tackle all those issues and clean up."

Starting at the Skerray Street shops, the team - working with our Streets Ahead partner, Clean Glasgow - collected more than 30 bags of rubbish. They have now set their sights on other areas for future clean-ups.

"So many people stopped to lend a hand, or told us what a good job we were doing," smiled Marina.

"Clean-ups like this make a big difference to people because they see that what they are asking for is getting done."

She added: "Milton is one of Glasgow's forgotten areas, not benefitting from the kind of attention and investment that places like Castlemilk and Springburn have had over recent years.

"That's why we have set up Milton Talks, to get the community talking to each other and telling us what needs to be done so we can hopefully get it done."

Love Milton was a winner in the Streets Ahead awards earlier this year, and Marina believes being part of the Evening Times campaign, which brings neighbours together to improve their communities for everyone, has helped raise their profile.

"Streets Ahead is a great campaign because it gives projects like ours positive attention, and helps show everyone how hard the volunteers work to make Milton a better place to live and work," said Marina.

The charity is now focussing its attention on its new community training centre, for which it has secured lottery funding.

"There is always something going on in Milton," she said.

Streets Ahead is now in its fifth year of helping people all across the city improve their communities for the benefit of all.

Along with our partners Clean Glasgow, Glasgow Housing Association, Scottish Fire and Rescue, ScotRail and City Charitable Trust, we aim to support projects already up and running and kick-start new ones.

Thousands of pounds of grants have been paid out to help turn ideas into reality.

And our annual awards ceremony, a heartwarming event at the Winter Gardens in the People’s Palace, has helped us to pay tribute to the men, women and children doing their bit for Glasgow.

We want to hear from you, your community council, your school, your business or your grass-roots community group.

We can help - with funding, equipment and advice.

And we can tell everyone about it - ensuring that the good work you are doing in your community reaches - and inspires - the rest of the city.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

To get involved in the Evening Times Streets Ahead campaign, email streetsahead@heraldandtimes.co.uk or call 0141 302 6555 to tell us what you think needs done in your area, or let us know what’s already under way and how we can help you to make it better.

Grants are available - let us know how much you need and what you need it for.

Get involved - and change your community for the better.