Hampshire businesses help clear Emsworth Harbour of 25kg of rubbish thanks to dozens of keen volunteers

More than 50 volunteers picked up 25kg of litter from Emsworth Harbour, the surrounding streets, and town centre, on February 18. Among the loot collected were hundreds of cigarette butts, plastic wrappers, fast food containers and bottles.

Organised by environmental charity, The Final Straw Foundation, the clear-up was attended by a group of eco-conscious helpers, including two employees from Hampshire housebuilder, Barratt Homes.

Barratt Homes sales advisors, Beth Bell and Carolyn McKee, were there to help on the day. Beth said: ‘There is an astonishing amount of plastic pollution and litter that exists on our coastlines across the country, so we were keen to be a part of this beach clean to help do our bit for the environment. We’re a housebuilder that’s all about sustainability, so it felt important that we put our words into actions!’

Barratt Homes has been supporting the Final Straw Foundation with its tidy-up operations over recent years to ensure the local area is tidier and safer for its visitors, and to raise awareness of plastic pollution.

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Beth added: ‘With an incredible amount of rubbish found on this small shoreline, it makes you wonder what sort of impact this must be having across the world. Beach cleans are a great way for us to help a small bit.’

The Final Straw Foundation works with local communities and businesses to highlight the impact of plastic pollution on our environment and is trying to minimise the amount of plastic entering our local seas and oceans.

Lissie Pollard, director of operations at the charity, said: ‘Part of our work includes the running of regular beach cleans along the south coast, and we are always thrilled by the level of support we receive from local individuals, families, and businesses. Thank you to everyone who gives up their precious free time to help - your efforts make a real difference to the environment.’

For Barratt Homes, sustainability is a high priority, having pledged to reduce its construction waste by 20% by 2025 and worked on a variety of initiatives to reduce the number of raw materials it consumes.