Carnalbanagh pupils make a clean sweep at Glenarm Marina

Glass, plastic and metal wire were among some of the items gathered by a group of students from Carnalbanagh Primary School at Glenarm Marina as part of the Big Spring Clean Up initiative.
Children from Carnalbanagh Primary School with Billy McCauley, Harbour Master at Glenarm Marina.Children from Carnalbanagh Primary School with Billy McCauley, Harbour Master at Glenarm Marina.
Children from Carnalbanagh Primary School with Billy McCauley, Harbour Master at Glenarm Marina.

Their efforts were part of the Big Spring Clean Up initiative which is also backed by Mid & East Antrim Borough Council.

The local authority have supported the Big Spring Clean, the Live Here Love Here campaign and the Clean Coast Programme, under the Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful umbrella, for many years.

As part of the scheme, Carnalbanagh Primary came out in force to carry out a litter pick to help their local wildlife and make it a more beautiful place for everyone in the community to visit.

Around 30 children were involved in collecting litter which included small particles of plastic, metal wire and glass.

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Lindsay Millar, said: “Litter is a major problem in our oceans and is washing up on our beaches.

“Plastic litter especially has increased significantly in recent years and is a real problem for our local marine birds and animals as they can become entangled or accidently ingest it, with sometimes fatal consequences.

“Our beaches, marinas and coastline are an important tourist attraction for Mid and East Antrim and it is important to improve the experience for visitors and local residents.

“I’d like to thank all the children for all their hard work. Thanks also to our Parks and Open Spaces and Waste Services teams who provided support to the school, provided equipment, and removed the rubbish for proper disposal.”

Alison Killough, Principal at Carnalbanagh Primary School, said: “The children really enjoyed participating in the local Marina clean-up.

“They were amazed to learn about all the different types of rubbish found, and especially about micro-plastics and how these can impact on Marine life and the Marine environment.

“They hope to continue their involvement in activities which will improve our local environment,” said Alison.

If you want to organise your own clean-up, and would like support from Mid and East Antrim Council, contact [email protected] or [email protected].

You can also ‘Adopt A Spot’, if you want to commit to at least four clean-ups a year. This campaign is supported by council and run by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

For more information and/or to get a Starter Clean Up Kit, telephone 028 9073 6920 or email: [email protected].