BEACH cleaning kits will soon be available to Islanders in bays around Jersey thanks to a new partnership.
With funding from the Co-op Community Fund, Plastic Free Jersey has created 12 community beach clean boxes, with one being given to every parish next week.
Each Community Beach Clean Box contains the basics Islanders need to help the environment: bags and buckets to collect rubbish, gloves in a variety of sizes, a simple first-aid kit, hand sanitiser, and a sharp-objects box, as well as guidance on how to carry out a successful clean.
To celebrate the launch of the new initiative, there will be a beach clean event at 10am on Sunday starting on the south coast below the La Mare car park in St Clement.
Plastic Free Jersey founding member Sheena Brockie said: ‘We are grateful to the Co-op Community Fund for their support with this exciting initiative.
With a ready-made kit, easily accessible from the local parish hall, we would love for the community to rally around and work together to help keep Jersey’s countryside and beaches free from litter, especially the single-use plastics which are so prevalent.
‘By encouraging people to get involved with a beach clean in their parish, we aim to raise awareness of the impact of plastic pollution on the local environment, empower people with the tools to do something about it, whilst fostering a sense of community and belonging.
‘Please contact your parish hall to request to borrow the community beach clean box, and don’t forget to tag Plastic Free Jersey with any photos on social media.’
Despite being named ‘beach’ clean boxes, organisers hope that the tools will be used for a wider purpose, to help clear streets, parks, school grounds, country lanes, woodland routes and coastal paths.
Channel Islands Co-op head of community and sustainability Carl Winn said the fund was ‘all about giving support to projects – large or small – which echo our values around our island community or environment’.
He added: ‘This community beach clean box scheme aligned so much with our passion for protecting our island’s environment; plus, it is such an accessible and ingenious way of allowing us all to play our part in caring for our beaches.
‘We truly are proud to be supporting this brilliant initiative from Plastic Free Jersey.’
