Big Clean planned at Brown’s Bay beach

Volunteers are needed to make it the biggest beach clean since the annual project was initiated in 1993 by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

MCS Beachwatch has become the most extensive monitoring programme in the UK for beach litter and thousands of volunteers help MCS turn the tide on litter each year. The event - which also entails Tidy NI’s annual Coast Care litter survey - provides a simple and effective way in which everyone can help tackle the relentless tide of rubbish on local beaches.

Information gathered during the surveys will be used by MCS to raise awareness of the problems and dangers of coastal and marine litter to both humans and wildlife. It will also enable the main sources of local litter inputs to be identified and the polluters responsible to be targeted. 

The Brown’s Bay clean-up and survey operation will commence at 10.30am.The meeting point is the car park.

Litter pickers, gloves and bin liners will be provided by Larne Borough Council. It promises to be a very enjoyable event and everyone is welcome. Take a waterproof jacket just in case, as well as comfortable shoes. Free refreshments, kindly donated by Coca-Cola, will be available. TIDY Northern Ireland, in association with Coca-Cola, is running the Coast Care Awards for the second year. Designed to acknowledge the excellent work of individuals and groups involved in the Coast Care Programme, the awards recognise the vital role volunteers play in protecting the coastline.

If you think your group deserves an award for the work carried out on a coastal project, or if there is an individual in your group who you think is so inspiring they deserve to be recognised for their contribution, simply fill out a nomination form at www.tidynorthernireland.org (under Clean Coast Programme).