Youngsters have been out and about in the town over recent weeks visiting the elderly, baking cakes for the community, litter picking and sprinkling a bit of festive cheer.

However campus cop Alan Walker wants to expand the project, known as East Renfrewshire Young Team, into the new year, and keep changing attitudes around youth behaviour in Barrhead.

PC Walker said: “My New Year’s resolution is to expand the East Renfrewshire Young team project to include even more youngsters covering more of the community.

“There is a stigma around young people and the way they are perceived but we wan’t to show that much of it is just not true.

“We have set out to prove that people of every age can be valuable and contributing members of society in Barrhead.” The scheme, spearheaded by Alan after he took up his role at Barrhead High School from Constable Cotton earlier this year.

Since then Alan has been working as the primary liaison officer between Barrhead’s cops and the youngsters at Barrhead High School, attempting to improve the police’s relationship with the pupils as well as the school’s image in the community — praised in recent months by the introduction of mandatory uniform guidelines and blazers for every pupil.

However some of the youngsters have their own new year’s resolutions outside of school time.

Jamie Weatherspoon said his resolution was to: “To score a goal for the school football team.” He has refused to wash his kit until he scores!

Scott MacCuish also had a sport related aim, saying: “To be the top scorer for the school basketball team.” Alice McNair is looking to the future, and moving on to university in 2014, saying: “To meet new people at University in 2014.” Aimee Ollis hopes that she can give something back in the new year, adding: “I want to do more for charity.”