Teams of volunteers and staff from Essex Wildlife Trust’s The Naze Visitor Centre have been cleaning up the shores with new equipment, purchased from money fundraised by The Colne Community School and College.

Inspired by the BBC’s Blue Planet 2, students from The Colne Community School and College were sponsored to carry out a community and coastal clean-up around Brightlingsea, collecting over 35 bin liners full of litter. The student led project raised over £200 for Essex Wildlife Trust and has since allowed the Trust to purchase more beach cleaning equipment for the regular beach cleans they run at The Naze Centre. The project has also been recognised by Essex Wildlife Trust, winning a Living Seas Award in 2018 as per criteria, it was ‘Good for Wildlife, Good for People and the Community, and Good for the Local Economy.’

The additional litter pickers, gloves and bag opener hoops have enabled more volunteers to get involved with the beach cleaning efforts. More than 20 volunteers gathered on a crisp sunny day last week at the Naze, scouring the shores for litter, collecting parts of fishing nets, glass, car tyres and plastic waste, especially plastic ear bud stems of which they found hundreds.

We are delighted that we can invite more volunteers to join us on our beach cleans. It is vital for the protection of wildlife and the environment and is very rewarding to all involved. The Colne Community School and College has really helped to make a difference to the Naze coastline!

Engaging in beach cleans increases marine awareness, protects the environment and wildlife and is beneficial to the individual too. To find out more about the weekly beach clean, please contact Essex Wildlife Trust’s Naze Centre on 01255 679379.