Plym Estuary beach clean

The National Trust at Saltram has run its first beach cleaning event in the Plym Estuary to mark the launch of its 2015 South West Coastal Festival. Forty-two students from the Plymouth International Maritime & Shipping Student Society joined regular visitors and volunteers to pick litter from Saltram Beach and the surrounding coastal fringe.

This year is the 50th Anniversary of the National Trust Neptune Appeal. The campaign has gained national public support and raised millions of pounds enabling the Trust to protect over 700 miles of the British Coast from inappropriate development. The beautiful and rugged South West coast is some of the most spectacular in Britain, important for both wildlife and the millions of visitors that enjoy our coastal heritage.

As part of the celebrations and to raise public awareness yet further, the National Trust is running all sorts of coast-related events around the region – including beach cleans, coastal bioblitzes (wildlife counts), coast path walks, watersports challenges and a big beach picnic – and will be inviting everyone to come celebrate with them.

Bart Bauza, one of the volunteers studying Maritime Business and Logistics at Plymouth University, said: “We had noticed the tide-strewn litter while walking the Route 27 estuary path, and as most of us will be reliant on the sea for our future employment we wanted to demonstrate our concern by doing something about it.”

Stephen Holley, Lead Ranger for the National Trust at Saltram, said: “I couldn’t believe the response we got from the students and our regular visitors. It is great that people are willing to get involved as litter is not only unsightly but a hazard to the marine life that either swallow or get caught up in it.”

The reward for the volunteers’ hard work, apart from 15 bags of rubbish, was a well-earned cup of tea and biscuits and the knowledge that they have inspired the National Trust to set up a regular Saltram Beach Cleaning Volunteer Group with the aim of keeping the area permanently clean of rubbish.

Saltram’s next beach cleaning event will take place on Sunday 22 March 11am – 1pm.  If you would like to take part please contact the National Trust at Saltram on 01752 333500.