‘Good time to make a small change that can make a big difference’

About 18 people battled through a wet New Year’s Day afternoon to pick up litter at Grandes Rocques.

The Clean Earth Trust runs beach cleans every Saturday and provide buckets, gloves and litter pickers to all the volunteers.

‘This is our first beach clean of the year,’ said charity co-ordinator Olivia Bennett.

‘We run them every Saturday. The weather today isn’t too bad, at least everything isn’t blowing away. The volunteers have found lots of food wrappers, cigarette butts, and lots of small bits of plastic.’

Volunteers included John Gaskin, who was there with his nine-year-old daughter Thea.

‘We wanted to start the new year on the right foot. So we came partly to get some fresh air and also to serve the community.’

Thea said she had found an old BBQ grill and lots of straws.

‘I want the beach to be clean so the animals will be happy.’

Also helping were brothers Luke and James Harvey, who were enjoying the hour they had spent picking up rubbish on the beach.

‘We both want to stop animals in the sea dying,’ said James, aged 8.

‘It’s not just animals in the sea, it’s people too,’ added 11-year-old Luke.

‘Fish can eat the little bits of plastic and we eat fish.’

The Clean Earth Trust launched a petition in November to ban single-use plastics in the Bailiwick.

After being stuck on just under 1,000 signatures just a few days ago, it has suddenly catapulted over the weekend to nearly 1,500.

‘I can’t explain it,’ said Miss Bennett.

‘It has suddenly got momentum. Perhaps it is the new year, people realising that it’s a good time to make a small change that can make a big difference.’

n Those interested in supporting the ban and petition can visit: www.change.org/bansingleusegsy

Details of the next beach clean can be found on the Clean Earth Trust’s Facebook page.