Binmen honoured after striking up friendship with boy who offers them snacks

Two binmen have been recognised with an award after they developed a friendship with a local schoolboy who offers them treats.

Brian Copeland and David Millar, who are employed by Inverclyde Council, were recognised for their friendship with Jaxx Robertson, a nine-year-old who routinely offers the waste workers breakfast rolls, snacks and sweets made by him and his mother, Lucy Gallacher.

The binmen received the Chief Executive’s Award as part of the Pride of Inverclyde awards, held at Inverclyde Academy in Greenock on Wednesday.

The trio have become widely known on social media due to their unique friendship, which developed during “bin lorry Wednesdays”.

Jaxx, of Greenock, has ADHD and autism, and making friends with the pair is said to have helped him come out of his shell and become more sociable.

The schoolboy made a surprise appearance at the awards ceremony to present the honour alongside council chief executive Stuart Jamieson.

Mr Jamieson said: “It was a moment of pride for me to be involved in my first Pride of Inverclyde awards as chief executive and be able to celebrate some of the incredible individuals and teams working across council and health and social care services.

“I’ve been lucky over the past five months since becoming chief executive to be able to get out and about and meet so many of our talented and hard-working employees across a range of services and to see first-hand the amount of effort that goes into delivering quality frontline services.

“A huge congratulations to all the winners and finalists and to our long service employees for their individual and collective efforts.

“A special well done to Brian, David and the wider waste services team, who are very worthy winners of this year’s Chief Executive’s Award for their heartwarming friendship with Jaxx, for the kindness shown by them, by Jaxx and his mum Lucy, and for raising awareness of and celebrating neurodiversity.”

The 2025 Pride of Inverclyde Awards were hosted by Ruth Binks, the council’s director of education, communities and organisational development, and Morna Rae, who is head of organisation development, policy and communications.