Residents from The Old Rectory care home in Dymchurch, Kent have carried out a beach clean to mark International Coastal Cleanup Day.
International Coastal Cleanup Day fell on 16 September as part of the Great British Beach Clean Week, a global initiative dedicated to preserving the coastlines and protecting wildlife, which runs between 15-24 September.
Residents from The Old Rectory, a branch of ACI Care that specialises in residential, respite, and dementia care, teamed up with members of the local community for an afternoon of beach cleaning which saw them picking up litter and ocean debris that had been washed in by the tide.
As part of the cleanup, the home provided participants with litter pickers, gloves, rubbish bags, and high-vis jackets, which saw a range of people of all ages join in – from a nine-year-old to a ninety-nine-year-old.
Locals who were passing by offered a helping hand and voiced their support, while Dorothy Latham, 89, an Old Rectory resident who participated on the day, said: “I hope the people who’ve been leaving the litter start to realise what they are doing!”
Kelly Parker, care home manager at the Old Rectory, said: “We hope we’re inspiring others in the care community and the community in general to get involved to help keep their beaches clean. And for all those that throw their litter: pick it up and put it in the bin!”
