Monday, 13 September 2010

Biggest beach clean in UK

Thanet Coast Project is looking for volunteers to join them this weekend (18 and 19 September) to take part in the largest coordinated beach clean up in the UK. Anyone who wants to help keep the beach clean and make the environment safer for wildlife is invited to register to take part.

Beachwatch takes place around the country on the third weekend of September every year and is coordinated by the Marine Conservation Society.

Two Beachwatch events have been organised by Thanet Coast Project along the northern sea wall beaches just west of Minnis Bay, Birchington, and also within the National Nature Reserve at Pegwell Bay, Cliffsend. On Saturday 18 September, the Plumpudding Beachwatch will clean along the northern sea wall beaches beside the Viking Coastal Trail going towards Reculver. Volunteers should meet at 10:30am outside the Minnis Restaurant at Minnis Bay, Birchington. On Sunday 19 September, the Pegwell Bay Beachwatch will meet at 10:30am on the beach below the former hoverport access road within the National Nature Reserve in Cliffsend. Both events will last 2½ hours, and protective gloves, bags, pick-up sticks and refreshments will be provided, thanks to support from Thanet District Council and the Clean Kent Campaign. You can register to take part in the clean ups by booking online at www.thanetcoast.org.uk

Other Beachwatch events taking place around the Thanet Coast include Margate Main Sands (contact Brian on 01843 295481) and St Mildred’s Bay (contact the Marine Conservation Society for more information www.mcsuk.org).

Tony Child, Thanet Coast Project Manager, said: “Beach cleans provide an ideal opportunity for anyone wishing to get out and about to help do their bit for the environment. In Thanet, we are lucky enough to have nine blue flag beaches and have some of the best beaches in the country. This makes it even more important to take care of the stunning coastline we have and to ensure that our beaches are safe to allow all sorts of amazing wildlife to thrive.

The Marine Conservation Society’s annual Beachwatch campaign provides a vital role in monitoring the type of beach litter found and contributes to get a national perspective as to where it all comes from. Beach litter is not just an unsightly blight on our coastline, but also has a damaging effect on the local wildlife. Many marine wildlife species have mistaken litter for food, resulting in fatal blockages, poisoning or starvation. Plastic and discarded fishing nets can also injure, entangle and drown marine wildlife, such as seals and dolphins. With this in mind I hope to see lots of people this weekend helping us to keep the beaches clean.”

Further information about Thanet Coast Project events can be found online at www.thanetcoast.org.uk or by calling 01843 577672.

1 comment:

  1. This gives me a lot to think about. Another place I often go to learn about environmental issues is at http://www.youtube.com/greenopolistv because they cover a lot of important stuff too. Something else that's related to saving the ocean is this video on the GreenopolisTV YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJVJavUg5Qw.

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