First In Wales For Newgale

A scheme encouraging visitors to keep Newgale beach clean is proving a success. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The West Wales beauty spot became the first beach in Wales to sign up to the National #2MinuteBeachClean campaign with the help of an enthusiastic volunteer, Pembrokeshire County Council and Keep Wales Tidy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leisure seekers on the two mile stretch of sand can collect rubbish as they go with the use of a litter picker and plastic bags made available through a special board that dispenses them to passersby. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paul Hill, a Team Co-ordinator with Portfield S.A.C. and a daily user of the beach set it up after hearing about the scheme through his love of the sea. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Being an avid surfer and beach user you become more aware of the ocean environment and the first thing I started to notice was the amount of plastic appearing on our beaches which is having a devastating effect on marine life and even getting into the human food chain. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“After every surf, I would pick up whatever I could manage on the way back to the car park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I manage and run West Coast Surf Wax and through this I became aware of #2minutebeachclean. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I asked if we could have a board for our beach and they gave us one to try and so I put it out and bring it back in each day and finance the bags and litter pickers needed.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Since the board was first put in place close to the Pebbles cafe on the south side of the beach, over 20 bags are put in the dispenser daily and they’re all being used. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Environmental and Regulatory Services, Councillor Huw George hopes the popularity of the board at Newgale will encourage others to operate the scheme at a beach close to them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“A little bit can go a long way to ensure a beach is kept litter free and a two minute clean can do wonders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Pembrokeshire County Council supports the scheme by replacing lost pickers and collecting what’s picked and I’d encourage volunteers and sponsors to come forward and start their own #2minute scheme to ensure a clean and tidy environment for locals and visitors across all of the County’s beaches.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Senior Project Officer with Keep Wales Tidy, Zoe Abbott says what may seem like an insignificant gesture creates a sum much larger than its parts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Keep Wales Tidy are delighted that the #2minutebeachclean board has been championed in Wales by a Pembrokeshire business. The #2minutebeachclean offers an easy way of helping our environment one piece of litter at time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Whilst an individual effort may seem insignificant, collectively it makes a big difference to one of our most precious assets. We would love to hear from you if you would like to adopt a beach board in your area.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you would like to sponsor a board for a local beach or become a volunteer please contact Pembrokeshire County Council on 01437 764551 or contact Zoe on 01646 694800 or e-mail Zoe.abbott@keepwalestidy.org ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caption ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

From left to right: Naiomi Ford and Jez Postans of Newgale Beach Wombles, Mari Williams (Keep Wales Tidy), Pembrokeshire County Council Waste and Recycling Officer Katie Daly, young beach cleaners Ioan and Seren Daly and Cabinet Member for Environmental and Regulatory Services, Councillor Huw George at Newgale Beach. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​