Teenager Named KSB Hero of the Month

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has named Glasgow teenager, Finn Corcoran, a Clean Up Scotland Hero for his litter picking efforts in his community.

Finn, who is 17 years old, does litter picks in Hillpark, Glasgow, twice a month and he has also cut grass and planted flowers in his neighbourhood.

He said: "I like being outdoors and want to keep the place looking nice, because this is where we live. It really annoys me when people drop litter. There's no need for it - you can just keep hold of it until you get to a bin."

Finn is due to leave Hillpark Secondary School in the summer and would like to get a job as a gardener. He was nominated for the KSB award by Jim Kane, Glasgow City Council's local area co-ordinator, in recogition of his community spirit. Jim will also present Finn with his certificate and his own litter picking kit provided by the council's Neighbourhood Improvement Team.

Finn's volunteering has also earned him other fans in his area. The local community council recently presented him with a £100 voucher in recognition of all his hard work. His family - mum Annmarie, dad Jamie and older brother Fergus - are all proud of his achievements.

He continued: "I was picking up litter in the street the other day and had collected quite a lot. A woman stopped her car and said I was doing a good job. That made me feel appreciated and I was over the moon when I found out I'd won Keep Scotland Beautiful's Hero of the Month award." 

Heather Mclaughlin, Campaigns Coordinator at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "I am incredibly pleased to award Finn with our Clean Up Scotland Hero award. He is a great role model for everyone and really deserves this recognition.

"We are currently facing a Litter Emergency in Scotland so it is more important than ever that we look after our beautiful country and keep it clean and tidy.

"We recently saw a fantastic level of support for our Spring Clean Scotland challenge and this enthusiasm, coupled with Finn's inspiring actions to improve his community, are excellent examples of how much people across Scotland care about their environment."

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Glasgow City Council's Convener for Neighbourhood Services and Assets, congratulated Finn on his success.

He said: "Huge congratulations to Finn on being named KSB's Hero of the Month. It is great to hear about a young person proactively taking positive action to improve their local environment. He is a real inspiration and this award is very well deserved."