A short film about our litter pick on Weston Shore…
beach clean
Big Beach Clean Up on Weston Shore – Saturday 8th August 2015 10am to 1pm
We’re getting really excited about our Big Beach Clean Up on Weston Shore on Saturday 8th August 2015. Our litter pick will be starting at 10am on the day and finishing up around 1pm and will be starting near the Pitch and Putt Course on Weston Shore, Southampton, SO19 9DX.
Big Beach Clean Up! Saturday 8th August 2015
Please also have a look at our vlog about some of the wonderful plants and animals living on Weston Shore :
Big Beach Clean Up – Saturday 8th August 10am to 1pm!
This year there’s another chance to tackle an environmental problem everyone can get a grip on – Litter! The Friends of Weston Shore are back in action on Saturday 8th August 2015 between 10am to 1pm helping to clean up the shore and are looking for heroes to help join them.
Weston Shore is truly one of Southampton’s hidden gems. It is designated as an international Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the importance of the inter-tidal mudflats, which each year attract thousands of wading birds including egrets and curlews.
The Friends of Weston Shore would like to invite everyone with an interest in protecting one of Southampton’s most beautiful locations to come along to their annual “Big Beach Clean Up” and show their support for the area by helping to take part in a short litter pick along the seafront.
Litter pickers and bags will be provided but please wear sensible shoes and gloves if taking part. Come along at any time between 10am and 1pm. The starting point will be near the car park near to the former Pitch and Putt course on Weston Shore. For more information please contact the Friends of Weston Shore at WESTONSHORE@GMAIL.COM
This year we shall be having a pirate theme to the event so if anyone taking part wants to dress up you will be very welcome! Here is a little film about Captain Robert Renenger, Southampton’s very own historical pirate
About the ‘Friends of Weston Shore’
The Friends of Weston Shore are a constituted Friends’ group comprised of local residents. Established for five years, the Friends’ group has made a dramatic impact on protecting and enhancing the SSSI habitat, improving the area for all to enjoy and encouraging the diverse wildlife to flourish.
The Friends of Weston Shore are supported by Groundwork Solent and Southampton City Council.
Beach Clean Up with the Marine Conservation Society and Marks & Spencer plc
On Wednesday, members of the Friends of Weston Shore joined volunteers from Marks & Spencer plc, the Marine Conservation Society and the public to take part in the Forever Fish litter pick on Weston Shore. It started off as quite overcast but thankfully the sun came out and by the end of the clean up it was a lovely, sunny spring day.
A large number of volunteers took part, starting from the car park opposite the entrance to Westwood, so it wasn’t long before the shore looked beautifully pristine and clean. The Marine Conservation Society are keen to learn more about the nature of the litter and rubbish found on our beaches and so we took part in a survey. It became clear that one of the most common types of rubbish to be found are from cotton buds. Sadly it seems some people have a habit of flushing these down the toilet and the plastic stick bit ends up being deposited on our shores as a result. These were very common, so please don’t do this and tell others not to as well.
Interesting finds from the day included a baby’s dummy, a credit card and a reflector from a car light. It was an enjoyable morning at the shore and it was great to be included in the Marine Conservation Society’s campaign.
Here are some photos from the litter pick – click them on for a closer look.
Adam and Robin from Friends of Weston Shore
Ali getting stuck in clearing up rubbish at Weston Shore
Some of the rubbish cleared up at the litter pick
Reflector from a car light found on Weston Shore
Weston Shore looking clean and beautiful after the litter pick
The dreaded cotton bud sticks – so many of these!
A volunteer litter picker at Weston Shore
Baby’s dummy found on Weston Shore
This year our Big Beach Clean Up will be on Saturday 8th August 2015 so if you would like to help clean up the beach please come along!
The Marine Conservation Society’s Big Beach Clean Up at Weston Shore – Wednesday 13th May 2015
The Marine Conservation Society, a national charity dedicated to protecting the country’s coastlines, is organizing its annual Forever Fish campaign. These are beach clean ups on our shores and one in particular is set for Wednesday 13th May starting at 10am at Weston Shore, Southampton.
The Society will provide the equipment but please be sure to dress sensibly for this task. Let’s hope lots of people get involved and help make the beautiful beach at Weston Shore look pristine and wonderful. The Friends of Weston Shore are hoping to be there to help out too.
For more information including details on how to register with the clean up, please go to:
HTTPS://WWW.MCSUK.ORG/FOREVERFISH/DETAILS.PHP?BEACH=WESTON%20SHORE%20BEACH
Autumn clean up at Weston Shore
On a lovely Saturday morning a few weeks ago, the Friends of Weston Shore were on the shore for a beach clean. We now have all the equipment we need for this. We timed it for a weekend after Guy Fawke’s Night when there is usually some debris from fireworks to be found. (Click on any of the photos for a closer look).
Although it was cold, the rain stayed away thankfully right up to when we finished.
Over the year, the shore has made a good recovery from the storms of earlier in the year but there was still quite a lot of litter to be cleared up.
One of the more interesting finds on the shore was what looked like an industrial light bulb, possibly from a factory or warehouse.
After a few hours of work it was great to see the shore looking pristine again on what had been a very enjoyable morning!
The Big Beach Clean Up!
What started out as an overcast morning soon, after a bit of rain, gave way to a wonderful Sunday on Weston Shore when the Friends group were joined by lots of volunteers in a litter pick. After setting up the base, a flurry of keen participants signed up to take part and then they were off to clean up the beach! (click on the photos for a closer look)
Chris Hammond from the Friends of Weston Shore at the litter pick
Our clean up crew made a great different to the shore in a short time. Amongst all the normal drinks cans, plastic straws, crisp and sweet wrappers and so forth they managed to find a “For Sale” estate agents’ sign, tea bags, a large water cannister and a fishing rod.
Philip Budd from the Southampton Natural History Society at the beach clean
The local bird life on Weston Shore were very much in evidence during the litter pick including roughly twenty oystercatchers seen off the shore and two egrets.
Two forks cleared up as part of the litter pick
The Friends of Weston Shore are very grateful to all those who took part in helping us with our goal of keeping the shore as litter free as we can. We are also grateful for help from Groundwork South in organising the litter pick, to Southampton City Council for all their support and to the Daily Echo for covering our event.
Laura, one of our regular volunteers!
Our next meeting is Thursday 25th September at 7pm at Woolston Community Centre, Church Road, Woolston – everyone welcome!
Weston Shore at the end of the litter pick looking beautiful in the summer sunshine.
Friends of Weston Shore in Spring Clean!
A beautiful Saturday morning in May saw the Friends of Weston Shore out on the beach in action once again, clearing up litter as part of their aim to keep the shore looking clean and welcoming to visitors, whether human.. or not!
Equipped with litter pickers, the volunteers from the Friends group managed to clear up lots of rubbish from the shore whilst enjoying the area’s wonderful views on a morning of glorious spring sunshine. The Friends of Weston Shore are local people who love the area and one of their main activities is trying to keep it rubbish free.
After an hour or so of beach cleaning, the shore looked wonderful and the group had a captivating glimpse of an egret, a type of heron, on the mudflats. The inter-tidal zone on Weston Shore is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and seeing this magnificent bird was a reminder of how valuable it is as a habitat for wildlife as well as a great place to visit.
The Friends of Weston Shore are always looking for more volunteers and their next meeting is at 7pm on Thursday 22nd May at the Woolston Community Centre, Church Road, Woolston, Southampton SO19 9FU. Their website at http:westonshore.wordpress.com also has lots about the group and their aims and activities as well. The Friends would like to thank Southampton City Council for their kind assistance with the beach clean up.
The egret seen on the shore during our litter pick!
Beach clean up with MCS and M&S!
Volunteers from Friends of Weston Shore
Weston Shore was given a make over on Monday morning as a large group of volunteers from the Marine Conservation Society, Marks and Spencer plc, the Friends of Weston Shore and local people got involved in a spring clear up on the shore.
Rather smart dog collar found during the litter pick on Weston Shore
On a rather overcast afternoon thankfully the rain kept away until we had finished and in the end 68.5 kg of rubbish had been cleared up from the shore. This included a panoply of unusual items including a mouth guard, make up, a rather smart dog collar, some socks, an umbrella and a toy soldier.
Quick photo just before the rain descended!
It was a really successful litter pick and the shore looked beautiful and pristine afterwards. The clean up was part of the Marine Conservation Society and Marks and Spencer’s Forever Fish campaign which includes litter picks all round the UK. The Friends of Weston Shore were very pleased to play a role in this and hope we can take part again next year.
The bags of rubbish we collected..
Weston Shore pristine after a successful clean up operation!
Some of the volunteers at the clean up. Thanks to everyone who took part!
Extreme Litter Picking!
Mark from Friends of Weston Shore at the litter pick
On a Saturday morning of biting, winter wind, rain and then hail the Friends of Weston Shore were in action clearing up rubbish and litter from the beach with the help of new friends from the University of Southampton’s group for the Marine Conservation Society (UMCS).
UMCS in action at Weston Shore
Strange piece of litter found – any idea what it is?
A whole platoon from UMCS joined Mark and Adam from the Friends group on the shore and with the added help of litter pickers and hoops from Southampton City Council, we got to work. For a short period it looked like the ominous rain clouds might stay away and we managed to make a real difference to the area we worked on. Sadly a fierce hail storm brought the day to an early close.
Friends from UMCS at Weston Shore
The shore in between rain and hail storms!
It was really good to get stuck in so early in the year and we are looking forward to further clean ups on the shore during 2014. If you would like to get involved please get in touch.
Friends of Weston Shore 