Our successful second year of Streets Ahead proved people all over the city are determined to build a better Glasgow.

For the last 12 months, with the support of our high-profile partners Clean Glasgow, Glasgow Housing Association, City Charitable Trust and the Scottish Fire And Rescue Service, we have watched projects grow and blossom in all our communities.

Year two launched with a flurry of activity, as groups queued up to get involved.

Residents in Balgrayhill were determined to transform the gardens and green spaces in their area.

Fed up with litter problems and anti-social behaviour, they set about clearing rubbish, weeding and planting and, with the help of a £1000 Streets Ahead grant, they created a gardening project for local young people.

Margaret Layden, of local housing association NG Homes, said: "In an area often described as disadvantaged, community spirit is alive and kicking thanks to Streets Ahead."

Two of the residents, Angie Donohue and Maggie McCart are now Street Champions for Balgrayhill, becoming part of our city-wide network of eagle-eyed supporters keen to let us know what needs done in their area.

We also teamed up with Stalled Spaces, the Glasgow City Council initiative that turns vacant land into community projects, to help more residents improve things in their area.

In its first year, the project supported 50 initiatives and brought about 15 hectares – or 22 football pitches – back into community use.

Streets Ahead also helped devastated areas restore gardens and projects destroyed by vandals.

In the first few months of our second year, we helped Milton Community Garden rebuild its potting shed and equipment after a fire tore through it just before Guy Fawkes' Night.

With the help of our £1500 grant, and subsequent funding of £13,500 from Glasgow Housing Association, the project got back on track.

In February, Streets Ahead received a massive boost from our campaign partner Glasgow Housing Association.

The organisation, which has been a fantastic supporter since the start, announced a £50million investment programme to bring every one of its communities up to scratch.

After our awards success last year, when Streets Ahead won Best Campaign at the Scottish Press Awards, we were delighted to be nominated for a national gong in 2013.

We narrowly missed out on the top prize in the Environment Category of the UK Newspaper Awards.

The Evening Times was one of only three Scottish titles to make the shortlist out of about 1000 entries.

As the campaign year came to a close, we received a fantastic boost from Keep Scotland Beautiful.

As the charity's Clean Up Scotland campaign picked up steam, it revealed more than 80% of the clean-ups that had taken place throughout the country since January had happened in Glasgow and the west of Scotland.

About 900 people, from schoolchildren to the elderly, had taken part, making a huge difference to parks, woodlands, school grounds and local neighbourhoods. Carole Noble, head of environmental campaigns at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "Streets Ahead is a brilliant local initiative that has made a big difference to communities in Glasgow.

"Just like our Clean Up Scotland campaign, it encourages people to take pride in their surroundings and play a part in their improvement."

The last 12 months of Streets Ahead have been busy, exciting and inspirational.

As we prepare to launch year three, we are hoping for more of the same.

We want to hear how we can help you to improve your street, or park, or community garden.

And to everyone who supported us last year, a massive thank you – we could not have done it without you.

ann.fotheringham@ eveningtimes.co.uk