Volunteers brave the rain for this year’s Great British Beach Clean

The charity’s annual Great British Beach Clean, which took place this year from Friday 20th September to Sunday 29th September, relied on volunteers to pick up rubbish across Britain’s beaches and then appropriately dispose of it.

The volunteering also provides the opportunity for colleagues to give something back to their wider community by cleaning the popular beach spots in Hove, Bognor Regis, and Bexhill-on-Sea.

Despite some heavy downpours during the Hove beach clean, the volunteers “kept a smile on their face the whole time”, according to Donna Saunders, FirstPort Property Manager for the Sussex region.

Donna explained: “The weather wasn’t with us but the whole team took it like a duck in water, literally. They did so well.

“It boosts our morale, we get to know each other out of the office, and the team were really enjoying themselves and out there picking up the rubbish in rain, wind and storm and that’s the kind of positive attitude we like to keep it within our team.”

The Marine Conservation Society’s week-long beach clean event involves volunteers recording the types of litter collected along a 100m stretch of beach.

The Marine Conservation Society uses the data collected at each beach clean to drive important campaigns for ocean protection and positive environmental change, and it also contributes to the global International Coastal Cleanup database.

Clare Trotman, Beachwatch Officer at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “The work we do at the Marine Conservation Society simply wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, who help gather crucial beach litter data.

“This information is invaluable in shaping scientific understanding and driving the changes needed to protect our precious marine environment.”