Sea cleaners get boost

The work of people dedicated to improving the environment is receiving an important financial boost.

The Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation has made a major donation to the Sea Cleaners Trust. The money will be used to help the organisation buy a sister vessel to be used alongside its current boat, named the Bobby Stafford-Bush, to assist with its efforts cleaning up Auckland’s waterways including the Manukau Harbour.

Trust chief executive Hayden Smith says the donation will further its vision of putting a boat in every New Zealand harbour by 2020. The financial contribution signals a ‘‘step-change’’ for the organisation and advances its goal of preserving the coastline for the benefit of human and marine life, trust chairman Jon Lamb says.

‘‘We’re beyond thrilled the trustees of the … foundation have made a decision to support Sea Cleaners in this way as our founding sponsors. Our goal since 2002 has been to clean up coastal and estuarine areas to improve the environment for marine life and to preserve its natural beauty for the benefit and enjoyment of all users.’’

Paddy Stafford-Bush says the foundation’s partnership with Sea Cleaners felt like an obvious move after her son Bobby died in a car crash in 2001 at age 16. The Auckland teenager was passionate about the sea, diving and marine life.

‘‘We applaud the good work Hayden and his team is doing and we want Bobby’s foundation to be part of that. We couldn’t be more delighted to be able to help.’’

The trust has removed more than 4.5 million litres of plastic rubbish and debris from New Zealand waterways since 2002.