A NEW volunteering strategy to support environmental efforts and Streetscene is under development.

A new Streetscene Volunteering Strategy has been developed which North Ayrshire’s cabinet heard the aim of building on this voluntary work and expanding the types of volunteering opportunities available in the community to enhance.

Ideas in the plans include launching a new ‘Adopt a Spot’ initiative and issue ‘volunteer packs’ with necessary environmental volunteering equipment.

It will also establish a volunteer database to facilitate regular and engaging communications with volunteers and create a ‘thank you’ scheme to acknowledge the work of volunteers.

Cabinet meeting papers state: “The strategy includes an action to implement a North Ayrshire ‘Adopt a Spot’ programme.

"This initiative aims to provide members of the community with an opportunity to voluntarily litter pick in a ‘spot’ at a mutually agreeable open space area within North Ayrshire.

“The chosen ‘spot’ would be within council ownership, and examples of such ‘spots’ could be all or part of a street, path, park or beach, or any other suitably agreed open space area that the volunteer(s) would like to help make litter free and keep tidy.

“The approach will also be promoted to schools and local businesses (e.g. hot food takeaways) to further tackle some our litter hotspots.

“Many of the existing network of volunteers who regularly collect litter have informally ‘adopted a spot’ or an area in their local community for some time, including as part of the Ayrshire Litter Volunteering Network collective.

“This new initiative aims to bring some co-ordination to this approach and provide additional features such as providing a platform for volunteers to record their activity and have their work publicly acknowledged.”