Help us trawl for beach trash
Call for volunteers to help clean- up
Winter storms have caused a huge build up of litter and detritus on South Ayrshire’s beaches.
On Saturday, April 1 the Rotary Clubs of Girvan, Alloway, Ayr, Prestwick, and Troon are staging the 11th Annual Spring Clean in conjunction with South Ayrshire Council.
This year they are helping with the Marine Conservation Society’s “Wild Bottle Sighting” nationwide survey over 19 miles of beaches between Girvan and Troon.
Plastic bottles are the scourge of Ayrshire beaches and probably make up about 60- 70 per cent of all beach clean rubbish.
The Marine Conservation Society have asked all helpers to tot up a bottle count for each beach, and send in as many photos of bottles on the beach as possible.
Volunteers are being sought for the big April 1 clean up, just turn up on the day.
Rotarians have helped with reducing little on local beaches by 40 per cent.
In 2016 volunteers collected 624 bags and over the past decade an astonishing 7400 bags of trash were uplifted.
Around 250 volunteers turned out last year. Each year there is great support from Scouts and Cubs, youth clubs, schools, college students, OIR, walking groups, friends and neighbours.
Now there are a large number of “regulars” who turn up every year, and also a generous group of farmers and caravan park owners who volunteer to cart bags of rubbish from remote beaches to pick- up points for collection by the council.
Ayr Rotarian Dr Jimmy Begg, event co- ordinator, said: “I welcome anyone interested in a few hours of fun, gentle fresh- air exercise - and a lot of satisfaction - cleaning up our lovely coastline along the route of the Ayrshire Coastal Path.
“Equip yourself with gloves, warm clothing and stout footwear.”
The beaches include Girvan, Dipple, Turnberry, north Croy Bay, Dunure to Heads of Ayr, Heads of Ayr to River Doon, River Doon to Blackburn Car Park, Newton to Bentfield Point, Bentfield Point to Pow Burn, and Pow Burn to Barassie. The Assembly Points are: Troon Rotary, North Beach toilets at 9am
Prestwick Rotary, old swimming pool 9am
Ayr Rotary, Blackburn Car Park at 9am
Alloway Rotary, Beach Car Park at Longhill Point at 9am
Girvan Rotary, Ainsley Car Park at 10am