Appeal to help removes tonnes of rubbish from Eastbourne beach

A major appeal for a flat bottomed boat has been launched to take the rubbish which is in bags from the seashore to be disposed of by the authorities.

The appeal is being run by the environmental group BHASSEXPLORE – Beachy Head and Seven Sisters Extreme Plastic Objects Removal – headed up by Norman Penney and backed by Plastic Free Eastbourne.

Mr Penney, known as Norm, and a group of volunteers have been gathering the rubbish up over recent weeks from the beauty spot.

They have already hauled up tonnes of rubbish from Cow Gap, further along the Eastbourne coastline which has been disposed of.

Now, they need help with a flat bottomed boat to get as close to the shore as possible and take the rubbish as it is unable to be done any other way.

Norm said this week, “We have made considerable efforts to remove as much plastic trash and junk that has been washing up and getting trapped on the rocks and the shingle beaches between Seaford and Eastbourne for the past 50 years or so.

“We need help to remove the 300 plus bags of plastic bottles, foams, polystyrene and packaging that has already been bagged at the major plastics pile up at the remote Beachy Head Lighthouse site.

“This is a beautiful stretch of rugged iconic coastline that is right on our doorstep and we need to do something now. There is only a small window of about six weeks before the storms potentially come in and it will not be able to remove the rubbish.

“BHASSEXPLORE is also in need of internet ambassadors who can dedicate some time sharing our website details with any groups, organisations, businesses or individuals who share our interests and concerns about the environment and the impact of human made synthetic trash upon it.

“We would also love to hear from an environmentalist who could spare some time to help us keep our incomings and expenditures in order and we want to find a storage or workshop unit to keep equipment with vehicular access and for the upcycling, re-purposing and artistic use of some of the more interesting objects we find washed up on our coastline.”

Anyone who can help should contact Norm at [email protected] or visit www.bhassexplore.com

Donations to support the campaign can also be made via the BHASSEXPLORE page.

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