Volunteers from Landmarc have helped collect over 350 bags of rubbish and two tonnes of rope during a litter pick at Tregantle Fort Beach.
Taking part in the beach clean at Tregantle were L to R, Derek Wilson – Site Manager, Steffan Jones – Maintenance Manager, Les Vickery – Area Delivery Manager (Area West) South West, Russell Stirk – Site Operative, Andy Westcott – Training Safety Officer for Cornwall (DIO), Glen Herbert – Site Operative, Ashton Lister – Training Area Operative.
The beach clean was organised by Craig Brook-Hewitt, a serving member of the Royal Navy from HMS Richmond, who started litter picking on beaches across the South West over a year ago. Inspired by David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II, Craig decided it was about time people started working together to help the planet and stop ignoring the plastic that is having such a disastrous ecological impact on our shorelines.
The event saw Landmarc employees enjoying the February sunshine with more than 200 volunteers from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), HMS Richmond, BBC Spotlight, Daily Mail and Keep Britain Tidy to clear the debris that had accumulated around the beach and its boundaries.
With a shocking 356 rubbish bags filled by the end of the day, the team cleared a huge number of discarded items from the area, which primarily included plastics, netting and a large amount of rope as well as an old tyre and even a single bright orange wellington boot!
Once the first batch of litter was collected, local firm, Luscombe Drinks donated juice for the volunteers and the Cornish Pod were on hand to sell their delicious pasties. After a short and well-earned break, the 203-strong team started clearing rubbish again before the tide came in.
Les Vickery, Landmarc’s Area Delivery Manager based at Okehampton, took part in the litter pick and commented: “It’s an opportunity for the local community to all get together to support an important cause and to help protect this beautiful bay.”
Craig Brook-Hewitt, organiser and volunteer litter picker, added: “The Royal Navy’s new environmental strategy is key for the future of this planet. The day was a great success and I’d like to say a massive thank you to our volunteers from Landmarc, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), HMS Richmond, Luscombe Drinks, Antony Estate, Cornish Pod and the local area for removing an astonishing amount of rubbish that was polluting the beach.”