Public urged: dig deep to help Brodick beach
An appeal has been launched to raise money for major improvements to Brodick beach.
Brodick Improvements Committee (BIC) hopes to raise an initial £5,000 through a crowdfunding initiative to help it take the vital first step to turn the extensive proposals into a reality.
The committee has set up a JustGiving page, backed by a widespread leaflet campaign, which it hopes will encourage residents and visitors to support the cash appeal.
The leaflets show the stark difference in how the beach looked in April to the way it looks now thanks to the generous donation of sand by the contractor obuild- ing the new Brodick pier, George Leslie Ltd, which will hand more sand over next week.
BIC hopes this is only the start. A spokesman said: ‘We still have lots to do to protect the area and complete the work. Installing rock groynes and further sand deposits to cover the remaining bags is next on our list.’
It follows months of work in partnership with North Ayrshire Council which has improved the shoreline at the mouth of Cloy Burn and Fisherman’s Walk.
Work has also been done to repair the leak at the end of the shoreline. These works will complement the planned beach groynes and replenishment of sand lost several years ago in a severe storm.
The improvements committee has supported the planning and licensing work to have these improvements carried out and has contributed a significant sum of money towards the work which has been matched by NAC and supported by the Arran Trust.
The improvements are complemented by recent work by Arran Coastal Way staff, who are near to completing a new walkway over the eroded section of the Fisherman’s Walk.
Work on the beach, which started in May following a donation of sand from George Leslie Ltd, will continue and the Marine Scotland licence has now been transferred over from NAC to BIC, which has now taken over the project.
A further delivery of 500 or 600 tonnes of sand will arrive in the next week to allow BIC to cover the remaining geotextiles bags at the far end, when the other work is completed in that area, and any excess will used where most appropriate, depending on the volumes delivered.
The spokesman added: ‘All this work requires financial support as well as hard work from our
committee members, so we are launching a fundraising appeal which we hope will be supported by locals and visitors, who have all been complimentary about the recent improvements. Without their support financially we will be very limited in what we can achieve.’
The initial £5,000 raised will allow the purchase of more sand and hopefully the start of one of the groynes, but a lot more money will be needed for the project to be completed.
The spokesman added: ‘Over the summer we will continue to organise the popular ceilidhs every Wednesday evening until August 17. We will hold our annual beach barbecue on Sunday August 7 with support from the Ormidale Hotel, and this year we hope to have the beach volleyball competition and other attractions taking place on the sand.
All these events are supported by businesses and we welcome anyone who wishes to support us in our efforts.
‘Those unable to come along to these events can also support us via the JustGiving website and all donations would be very much appreciated. Go to https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/brodickimprovements for details.’
That will be open until the end of October when the situation will be reassessed.
‘We hope the combined efforts of Brodick Improvements, NAC, Coastal Way and the Arran Trust contribute to improved facilities for residents and visitors and we look forward to meeting with everyone at the events planned,’ the spokesman added.
A spokesman for North Ayrshire Council said: ‘We anticipate Fisherman’s Walk will be fully open to the public by the end of next week.
‘The comprehensive works at Fisherman’s Walk and on Brodick beach will have many benefits and are ex- pected to reduce erosion and protect the timber footbridge at the far end of the beach. These works should be completed within the next few days.
‘We can also confirm that the marine licence for the construction of the rock groynes at Brodick beach has been transferred to the Brodick Improvements Committee which has ownership of the scheme.’