Volunteers from island-based charity Beach Buddies have inspired people in Cumbria to remove rubbish from their shorelines.

A long weekend visit, made possible by support from the Steam Packet, saw the Beach Buddies team take part in a series of beach cleaning events, making new contacts with existing groups between Whitehaven and Millom – a stretch of coastline covering just over 50 miles.

As a result, Beach Buddies now has connections with local councillors and volunteer beach cleaning groups in Whitehaven, St Bees, Ravenglass, Silecroft, Bootle, Ulverston and Millom.

Beach Buddies donated free litterpickers to beach cleaning groups and hosted hot drinks and snacks on the beaches at six different venues over the weekend and were very encouraged by the response.

‘There was a really positive vibe from everyone we met,’ said Beach Buddies founder Bill Dale.

‘When Beach Buddies started in 2006 with two people all of the Isle of Man’s beaches were covered in tonnes of rubbish, and parts of the Cumbrian coast are in a similar state today.

‘But our experience last weekend showed that there are definitely lots of people keen to volunteer and tackle the issue not just on their beaches, but all over the countryside too, and I am certain their enthusiasm will show great results in the near future.

‘The key to all of this – anywhere in the world – is sustainability. Having met so many really decent people this last few days, I feel very confident that the people living along the Cumbrian coastline will make a really noticeable difference very quickly.’

The Beach Buddies’ name is now well known along the Cumbrian coast, and also in the Scottish Isles where a similar new initiative took place in late 2021. Links were made with local councils and a number of schools which all received donations of free litterpickers.

Beach Buddies has been running an education programme in all Manx schools for several years and looks on the young people of Britain as holding the key to resolving the problem of litter in the oceans.

Mr Dale added: ‘This issue needs to be tackled by the public because it is the community who have created this problem and it needs a community response.

‘I have to say that the response from schools in the Isle of Man has been nothing short of fantastic and I cannot express strongly enough how important this is, and I am so grateful for the support we have been given by teachers, lecturers and the children especially.

‘I hope everyone in the Isle of Man sees just what a difference we have all made together as a team. This is very special – and unique in the world.’

He added: ‘I would also like to express my sincere thanks to the Steam Packet Company for their enthusiastic support for this project. They provided us with a vehicle and fares for our team and the Beach Buddies truck. Without their support, this would not have happened.’