NEXT weekend more than 30 communities living along the Tweed and its tributaries are set for the biggest clean up ever held in the Borders.
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, February 29 and March 1, around 500 eco-conscious volunteers will be rolling up their sleeves for the second Great Borders River Clean.
The inaugural event in October attracted 304 rubbish collectors who bagged an incredible 1.85 tonnes of discarded wrappers, bottles and other environmentally damaging items.
And with more and more communities signed up it is expected even more rubbish will be collected next weekend.
St Mary's School teacher Tom Rawson is the brains behind the Great Borders River Clean.
He told us: "I have been blown away by the response to this event.
"There is something about rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in to solve a common problem that has captured peoples' imaginations.
"It's easy to see plastic pollution as never-ending but it can be solved if enough people see the effects and are willing to do something about it.
"This is something that young people, in particular, understand.
"I have been delighted to see schools, Scout groups, sports teams and community groups across the Borders engaging with this event.
"This is something that has been actively encourage by St Mary's School in Melrose and I am fortunate to have time allocated to the organisation of this growing event."
Scottish Borders Council is supporting the event by funding litter grabbers.
And all rubbish collected will be transported to the region's waste transfer station.
As well as cleaning up the Tweed at Innerleithen it is also planned for a tidy-up of the mountain bike trails on Saturday.
Tom added: "I am keen to engage with anyone and everyone who enjoys being outside and who wants to help preserve and improve his or her natural environment.
"The Borders is a mountain biking paradise and so I am seeking to get that community actively involved with a joint river and trail clean at Innerleithen."
Newcastleton's clean has been moved forward to Friday, February 28. Volunteers are to meet near Whithaugh Pool at 2.30pm.
Saturday, February 29
Abbey St Bathans - 2pm at the Ford Car Park
Earlston – 10.30am at Earlston Square
Peebles – 10.30am at Kingsmeadow Car Park
Innerleithen – 10am at Traquair Road Bridge
Walkerburn – 2pm at Walkerburn Bridge
Lauder – 2pm at Burnmill Car Park
Newtown St. Boswells – 1.30pm at the Community Centre
Jedburgh – 1.30pm at Leisure Centre
Chirnside – 10am opposite the Community Centre
Sunday, March 1
Birgham – 10am at the Village Hall
St Boswells – 10am at Mertoun Bridge
Peebles – 10.30am at Kingsmeadow Car Park
Cardrona –11am at Nashy’s
Galashiels - 9.45am beneath Galafoot Bridge
Darnick/Tweedbank – 9.30am at Lowood Bridge Car Park
Melrose – 9.30am at Gattonside Chain Bridge
Kelso – 2pm at Café U
Coldstream – 10.30am at Coldstream Bridge
Berwick – 12noon at Lookout Café
Hawick – 11am at Common Haugh footbridge
Denholm – 1pm at Denholm School
Jedburgh – 1.30pm at Leisure Centre
Selkirk – 2pm at footpath by Oregon Timber/Carrs Billington
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