MORTON chiefs and schoolchildren scored a winner with Scotland’s health and sport minister when he visited Cappielow to see the work they are doing to help the environment.

Jamie Hepburn MSP heaped praise on the Greenock Morton Community Trust (GMCT) as he was given a taste of the work the organisation does.

During his visit he also presented pupils from Blairmore Nursery and All Saints Primary with their first — and Scotland’s 1,900th — eco schools ‘green flag’ for their efforts to become more environmentally-friendly.

Mr Hepburn was shown round Cappielow and saw the trust’s kit and boot recycling facility and the club’s new low-carbon laundry room, both of which are in place thanks to a £100,000 Scottish Government grant.

Warren Hawke, GMCT chief executive, said: “We were delighted to support the unveiling of the 1,900th green flag at Cappielow, which has become home of ‘Greener Morton’, our Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) initiative, and we were honoured to welcome the minister.” Four-year-old Kacey Coyle, from Blairmore, is very pleased with her nursery’s eco-flag award and explained some of the things youngsters are doing to become ‘greener’.

She said: “We put papers in the bin so we don’t get the world dirty and we pick up our litter.

“We put bottles and cans in the blue bin and we put food out for the birds and they come and eat it so they can grow into big birds and learn to fly.” Derek Robertson, chief executive of charity Keep Scotland Beautiful — the campaign which manages the CCF on behalf of the government — has praised both the trust and the pupils for their hard work.

He said: “I am delighted that Blairmore Nursery and All Saints have achieved their first, and Scotland’s 1,900th, Green Flag Award.

“We were also delighted to join Jamie Hepburn MSP in his visit to GMCT to celebrate the work of their Greener Morton project.” Councillor Terry Loughran, Inverclyde Council’s education and communities convener, added: “I am delighted for the school and nursery in achieving their green flag.

“The children have forged excellent links with community organisations — including GMCT — to learn as much as they can about their chosen topics and what they can do in their local area to help contribute towards a cleaner and greener future.”