Local firm O’Neil Architects left their Kendal studio for the day recently to pick litter at South Walney Nature Reserve near Barrow.

O’Neil Architects have become corporate sponsors of Cumbria Wildlife Trust and as part of their support, they helped out with a range of activities at a Wild Work Day at the nature reserve. They spent the morning clearing a pick-up truck load full of litter from the beach at South Walney before repainting one of the hides.

Bob O’Neil, Director of O’Neil Architects said: “Sustainability, ecology and a commitment to our Cumbrian community are consistent threads that run through our work here at O’Neil Architects. Our membership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust is therefore a natural partnership with exciting possibilities to acknowledge this and help nature. We had a wonderful day amongst bucolic surroundings with the team at South Walney Nature Reserve and hope to return soon, as we look to make this a regular event in our studio calendar."

Michelle Waller, Senior Development Officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “We’re delighted to welcome O’Neil Architects as bronze corporate members and were really pleased when they said they also wanted to do some practical work to help out on one of our nature reserves.

“Beach and marine litter is a real problem for wildlife, ranging from fishing gear down to cotton buds. It’s vital work as every year an estimated 8 million tonnes of litter enters the world’s oceans. Plastic poses the biggest threat to marine wildlife as it doesn’t just disappear; it simply breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, and has detrimental effects on food chains, working its way up from the tiniest plankton into the bodies of sharks, whales and dolphins.

“We run beach cleans throughout the autumn and very much welcome businesses teams who want to come and help with this.”

To find out more about becoming a corporate member of Cumbria Wildlife Trust contact Michelle Waller at michellew@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk