Amy Linton
'I decided to take positive action and start picking up litter I saw when out and about each day - rather than just think 'Why has someone people dropped that?' and walk past.'
Amy Linton
I set up St Bees Litter Champions in 2018 to encourage people in St Bees to keep the streets, parks and beach clean, to help protect wildlife in the village and do our bit to reduce marine plastic pollution.
I'd always picked up litter from near my house and done the occasional beach clean, but decided to take positive action and start picking up litter I saw when out and about each day - rather than just think 'Why has someone people dropped that?' and walk past – and encourage other residents to do the same.
I thought that if we could just each pick up, say, five items of litter a day, then that was an easy step to take and our actions would add up and have a positive impact on the environment.
We have a Facebook group where we share what we have found to help motivate each other. Although St Bees Litter Champions pick as individuals on a daily basis, since May 2021 I have organised a monthly beach clean, which have been well attended. I’d like to thank everyone in St Bees that helps to keep it free from litter and has joined in with efforts to remove washed-up plastic from the beach.
This washed-up plastic on the beach is constant, which is why regular beach cleans are so important. Seagulls pulling the rubbish from bins, creating more litter to pick up has also been a problem at the seafront. However, St Bees Parish Council has been working with Copeland Borough Council to ensure that more appropriate bird proof-bins are available for this coming season.
In March 2021, St Bees Beach got a 2-Minute Beach Clean Station, which encourages everyone visiting the seafront to do their bit with a quick litter pick. This idea to get one for the seafront came from St Bees Litter Champions, which, as a Parish Councillor, I proposed. It was approved and largely funded by St Bees Parish Council, so a big thank you to them for their support!
While people are responsible for littering, it's nature that suffers most from the negative consequences. As individuals and groups of people working together, we can take a stand to help clear litter from the environment. I would encourage everyone, when you're out and about, to pick up some of the litter that you spot. Even if that is just a handful of items, that's a really positive step if more of us can do so.
Join us at an upcoming beach clean