Twenty-five University students organised and took part in a local community cleanup in the Hillhead area on Saturday 21 May as a gesture of thanks to local residents for their ongoing support for those affected by the recent earthquake in Japan.

Despite high winds and torrential rain the team managed to collect 25 bin bags of litter from the streets around the University. Noriko Tanishima (31) is studying for a PhD in Nursing at Glasgow and helped organise the clean up:

“We wanted to thank the people of Glasgow who have donated to the Glasgow for Japan appeal. I saw the Clean Glasgow campaign and thought it would be a great idea to do a clean-up as I used to do them in Japan when I was in elementary school. 

“We wanted to give something back to the people of Glasgow who helped the earthquake victims and also to encourage more people in the city to take part in Clean Glasgow litter picks.”

Students involved in the community cleanup 

By holding events such as bake sales, charity concerts and street collections, students from the University have managed to raise around £10,000 so far for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March this year.

Councillor Jim Coleman, Chair of Glasgow Community & Safety Services GCSS and Executive Member for the City Council’s Land and Environmental Services (LES) department, said: “This was a wonderfully thoughtful gesture by the students who were keen to repay the kindness and generosity of Glasgow’s residents. I hope their actions inspire others to organise a community clean-up or to sign up to become a Neighbourhood Improvement Volunteer.”

The University put on some food and hot drinks to help fortify the souls who braved the Glasgow’s summery conditions.

You can still donate money to the relief efforts in Japan via the British Red Cross or Save the Children.

First published: 26 May 2011

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