HRH The Earl of Forfar KG GCVO paid a visit to Saughton Park yesterday to join Keep Scotland Beautiful as they celebrated the commitment of volunteers and supporters dedicated to improving our environment.
During his visit, to the recently restored, and Green Flag Award winning park, The Earl of Forfar met with city council staff and a number of groups and individuals who work with the charity to tackle litter, combat climate change and improve local places.
His Royal Highness met with volunteers from the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis Park community group who shared their experiences of the Green Flag programme across Scotland and in particular the role they play.
He also heard about the longstanding Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood programme in Scotland, meeting a passionate judge and assessor, Colin Ainsworth, and volunteers from Friends of Saughton Park Group and Bonnie Blantyre and Pals Community Group who discussed the challenges and opportunities facing community improvement projects during the pandemic.
A young reporter, Callum Alexander, who is eager to raise awareness of the importance of improving our environment, and KSB’s education team were then able to share their experiences with The Earl of Forfar before he was introduced to KSB’s June Clean Up Scotland Hero, Jason Wilcox, who highlighted his litter picking activity with the West Lothian Litterpickers and the scale of the problem as we have eased out of lockdown.
His Royal Highness also met with representatives of Keep Porty Tidy a group involved in our My Beach Your Beach campaign at Portobello.
Finally, The Earl of Forfar was introduced to a number of volunteer Charity Trustees and was invited to present our outgoing Chair Lindsay Montgomery CBE, and John Frater with Fellowship Certificates to make their long service to the charity.
Tom Brock OBE, KSB Chairman said, “It was an honour to be able to introduce His Royal Highness, The Earl of Forfar, to some of the truly amazing volunteers we work with, from our outgoing Charity Trustees to the communities, local authorities and young people who are all working tirelessly to keep Scotland beautiful.
“Our connection and need for clean, green spaces has never felt more important and it was a privilege for us to celebrate and showcase the work being done across the country by passionate individuals all striving to improve places and neighbourhoods and play a key role in Scotland’s green recovery.
“I would like thank The Earl for showing such an interest in the work we, and those we work with, do to make Scotland clean, green and sustainable for everyone.”
