Last week, 23 dedicated colleagues from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), supported by their framework partner Clancy, volunteered to participate in a beach clean at Budd’s Farm shoreline in Havant. This initiative was part of The Great British Beach Clean, organised by Beachwatch from the Marine Conservation Society.
The teams, who walked from their offices at Penner Road, covered the shoreline at Budd’s Farm. During the clean, they surveyed a 100-metre stretch using apps or paper surveys to collect litter data for the Marine Conservation Society. This data is crucial for identifying trends in marine debris and supporting international scientific research and campaigns for positive environmental change.
During the clean, the team made several interesting discoveries, including tarmac, enough glass to fill a sharps box, and an animal skull (which was left in place as per Beachwatch’s guidelines).
Neil Hitchcock, Project Director for Large Capital Delivery at SSEN said:
“It was a great team effort, and it isn’t until you look closely that you see how much microplastics and rubbish are hidden on a pebble shoreline. The amount of litter we found was quite surprising and highlights the importance of initiatives such as The Great British Beach Clean.
“We look forward to arranging more volunteer sessions to give back to the community and continue our efforts in preserving our natural environment.”
Timothy Burr, Head of Consents, Engagement & Communication for Clancy added:
“We’re proud to have partnered with SSEN on the MCS Great British Beach Clean in Havant. Our long-standing heritage shows our commitment to the communities we work in and more recently this has been focussed on delivering social value and reducing our environmental impact.
“Delivering smarter, greener infrastructure brilliantly is at the heart of what we do nationwide. By participating in this event, we’ve not only helped clean up our local beaches but also raised awareness about the importance of reducing plastic pollution and preserving marine ecosystems.”
Beachwatch is a beach clean and litter recording programme aimed at tackling beach litter and preventing ocean pollution. The Great British Beach Clean, which takes place from 20-29 September, is a flagship event that gathers data used in the annual International Coastal Clean-up. This global initiative sees hundreds of thousands of people cleaning beaches simultaneously, providing a comprehensive snapshot of beach litter worldwide.
For more information about SSEN’s sustainability pledges, please visit www.ssen.co.uk/sustainability.