Living so close to one of the country’s most beautiful stretches of coastline fills many locals with a sense of responsibility for its upkeep. Beach Clean with Litter Free Coast and Sea, an ingenious event as part of the Bournemouth Arts by the Sea festival in October 2017, inspired and motivated people to combine their artistic talents with their respect for and love of our wonderful beaches.
Volunteers made mini sculptures from any beach junk they discovered, which was photographed after the beach clean was finished and uploaded to the Plastic Beaches website. Then it was time to knuckle down, litter-picking the beach to help reduce the amount of beach and marine rubbish and to maintain bathing water quality.
Participants were advised to dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy shoes but all other equipment was provided. They just needed to turn up with big ideas and an even bigger conscience.
There were also some competitions and educational activities taking place during the day and people were inspired to come and make a visible difference to their coastal community and channel their artistic side at the same time!