Beach clean-ups on Wirral as part of national campaign

The Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean programme is one of the largest marine citizen science activities of its kind in the UK.

More than 100 people turned out for the opening day's clean-up at West Kirby Beach on Friday.

The other Wirral cleans are:

• Today​ (Saturday, September 21): Thurstaston Beach at 4pm.
• Sunday (Sunday, September 22) the Wirral Wombles are running a clean-up on Wallasey beach from 9am to 10am.
• The New Brightoners are at New Brighton Beach on Sunday, September 29 at 11am.

Among the volunteers who place took part in clean-up at West Kirby Beach on Friday (September 20) (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest) Among those taking part in the clean-up at West Kirby was a 13-strong team from Chorley-based firm Acero Construction who do 100 hours of charity work for a number of good causes each year.

A spokesperson for the company said: "We came down earlier this morning to take part. It's all about doing what we can to give something back to the community."

Among those taking part in the clean-up at West Kirby on Friday (September 20) was a 13-strong team from Chorley-based firm Acero Construction who do 100 hours of charity work for a number of good causes each year (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest) To sign up for a beach clean, or organise your own, simply visit the charity’s website.

Among the volunteers who place took part in clean-up at West Kirby Beach on Friday (September 20) (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest) At last year’s Great British Beach Clean, 5,416 volunteers conducted 428 beach cleans over 10 days, surveying 64,139 metres of coastline. A total of 129,391 pieces of litter were collected, filling 1,426 bags and weighing 7,476 kg.

The Marine Conservation Society has recorded an average drop of 80% in carrier bags found on UK beaches since charges were introduced, showing that policies to reduce plastic work.

Data collected during the Great British Beach Clean contributes toward the charity’s annual State of our Beaches report. Last year’s report recorded a 14% increase in drinks-related litter.

Among the volunteers who place took part in clean-up at West Kirby Beach on Friday (September 20) (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)

Sandy Luk, chief executive of the Marine Conservation Society told the Globe: "This is our flagship beach clean, kicking off 10 days of beach cleans across the UK.

"We've got around 450 lined up across the ten days, we're our volunteers are going out collecting litter and recording it. Their findings go into a big database that can then be used for research purposes or to try to change and lobby the law."

Sandy continued: "West Kirby Beach is well-maintained, what we found when we came out to start the clean-up was that there wasn't that much litter on the beach. Also, there have been massive tides at the moment and the tides take litter back out. Some days you'll find more, some days less.

Among the volunteers who place took part in clean-up at West Kirby Beach on Friday (September 20) (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)

"The thing thing that is really remarkable is that, no matter how little litter there appears to be on the beach, once you start looking carefully, you find lots of little pieces. We found lots of tiny little pieces of plastic on this beach that looks relatively clean.  

"Those little pieces of plastic would end up in the sea, being eaten by fish and smaller organisms, which we end up eating.

"So, in doing these beach cleans, our volunteers are helping protect turtles from being entangled or seabirds eating plastic." 

Clare Trotman, Beachwatch Officer at the Marine Conservation Society, told the Globe: "We were a bit stunned by how many people turned up, but it just shows how much people in Wirral love their beaches. It didn't surprise me, actually.

“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.

“With beach cleans taking place all over the UK and Channel Islands, there are countless opportunities to get involved and support us this year.

"And if you can’t make it to the beach, you can still contribute by organising a local litter pick and survey in your area.”

This year’s Great British Beach Clean is being sponsored by Ireland’s soup brand, Cully & Sully Soup, whose support is helping to raise awareness of marine litter and protect UK beaches from pollution. The company will dish out free soup to all volunteers taking part. 

Cully Allen, from Cully & Sully Soup, said: "We are excited to be part of the UK’s biggest beach clean initiative for a third year. As a B Corp, doing good is at the core of what we do.

"We are always striving to do better internally as a business, but we really enjoy when we get to encourage and join our customers in doing good. We are looking forward to getting stuck into the beach cleans again this year, serving up our soup to the SOUPer volunteers and taking direct action on marine litter."