DOZENS of people took to the streets in Possilpark for a community clean-up operation.

From a base set up just off Saracen Street, a number of community groups joined Sisco Recovery, who organised the clean-up, and set to work cleaning up the streets and derelict land around the area.

Around 50 people armed with litter-pickers formed into small teams and walked around the streets on Saturday afternoon.

They spent three hours walking the area, working to clean it up.

By the time they had finished, they had collected a considerable amount of litter, filling around 40 black bags with discarded rubbish.

One of the litter-pickers said the local people were appreciative of their efforts.

She said: “People were saying ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’ as we walked around.”

Members of Sisco were joined or supported by Thriving Places, Young People’s Futures, the VRU, Clay Community Church, Arts Yard, Hamiltonhill Claypits Local Nature Reserve, Glasgow North East Police, NG Homes, Canal Youth Forum, Possilpark People’s Trust, Possilpark Baby Food Bank and Concrete Gardens. Some local politicians also joined in.

Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney and Labour councillors for the Canal ward Robert Mooney and Gary Gray joined the team for the duration of the pick-up.

The organisers said they wanted to pay back a community that had been supportive of their work with addiction.

A spokesman for Sisco said: “‘Keep the Scheme Clean’ is a community-focused event aiming to challenge the prejudices associated with addiction and prison experiences, whilst at the same time bringing a community together to make positive changes to the local area, and forging new friendships and partnerships.

“This particular area of Glasgow is often overlooked, but at the heart of Possilpark is a community whose spirit never wanes and is filled with people who are proud of where they live and come from.

“It was with this in mind that we decided to pay back a community that has always been so supportive of us, and our partner organisations, and as a collective we knew that we had the power to make a positive difference.”

The baby bank was also handing out free nappies and formula milk at Saracen Cross.