The Beach Buddies volunteers had a daunting task in front of them at Spaldrick in Port Erin today, with many hundreds - probably thousands - of small items of rubbish, some of which had clearly been there for many years.
However, despite some heavy spells of rain and unpleasant weather, the 34 volunteers, including lots of young people, absolutely transformed the beach, returning it to the really lovely spot it once was. 1st Rushen Scouts brought a big team of helpers, and by the end of the 90 minute session, Spaldrick was spotlessly clean - perhaps for the first time in decades.
Thanks also to Port Erin lifeboat who braved choppy waters to get close to the beach, but decided to stay a short distance offshore. To the delight of the volunteers, one of the crew swam ashore and spoke with the volunteers, choosing to leave collecting the 26 bags of rubbish until calmer weather.
Thanks guys - it was quite some sight to see - and resulted in an impromptu round of applause from the volunteers. 1st Rushen Scouts have asked to be involved in the Big Pre-TT Tidy Up between May 12th and 19th. Beach Buddies looks forward to helping the Scouts during the week.
