To launch this year’s clean up, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful called for volunteers to ‘Do Good, Feel Good’ and help create a large scale piece of sand art on a local beach. The piece itself was designed by renowned sand artist Sean Corcoran who used the wave from the Clean Coasts logo as inspiration. The community then filled the wave with hearts and bubbles as well as completing a beach clean to ensure everyone could enjoy the artwork litter-free.
Last year across the island of Ireland, 3938 volunteers registered for 207 community-based events and clean ups across beaches, rivers, loughs, canals and reservoirs - collecting an incredible 3589 bags of litter, that’s 23 tons – the equivalent of 250 people.
This year’s volunteers can use #CleanCoasts to search for all the latest information and use it to upload their before and after pictures of their litter-picks and associated beach art.
Jodie McAneaney, Live Here Love Here Manager at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful comments: “Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week is growing from strength to strength and we’re excited to see how many volunteers will support us this year. Our aim is to create a clean coasts community who will continue to look after and enjoy our shores throughout the year and encourage others to do the same. Northern Ireland has some of the most beautiful shores in the world and we should be proud to protect and preserve them.”
Gillian Shields, Packaging and Sustainability Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “We believe in a world without waste, and our 11 year-long partnership with the Clean Coasts programme in Northern Ireland plays an important role in that. With the support of our partners Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, we are keen to do even more in 2019 to champion responsible behaviour with respect to littering and encourage greater recycling.”
This year, Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week is supported by local ocean enthusiasts such as former Miss Northern Ireland Tiffany Brien - who has competed internationally, representing Northern Ireland and Ireland in sailing, Kiko Matthews – who broke the world record for the fastest female solo row across the Atlantic Ocean in 2018 and has since devoted her time to the anti-plastic campaign ‘Kik-Plastic 2019’ and Siofra Caherty, founder of the sustainable design studio ‘Jump The Hedges’, which focuses on sustainability, functionality and local manufacturing.
By registering, you will receive a complimentary kit with everything you need to run your own event, plus a list of how to become involved in other neighbouring events and communities. Limited kits are available and will be issued on a first come first served basis, so register now to avoid missing out! For more information on getting involved with Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week – visit www.liveherelovehere.org or email Karina.Robinson@keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org
