Beach Buddies received a boost in its efforts to rid the island’s beaches of litter after Douglas Borough Council funded the purchase of 100 litter pickers for the volunteer beach cleaning charity.

Environmental services committee chairman Councillor Ritchie McNicholl said: ‘We have watched the progress of Beach Buddies with great interest; this is a Manx charity making a very real difference to the island’s beaches. The volunteer beach cleaning parties clearly care about the environment and have a great sense of pride in their surroundings, as indeed does the Council. Litter on streets, in open spaces and on beaches blights our Island and is a community problem that demands a community response. The Council was therefore pleased to fund these litter grabbers as it applauds Bill Dale and his Beach Buddies volunteers, not only for the sterling work they’re achieving with their beach clean ups but also for bringing the issue of litter to the attention of a wider audience and sparking debate on an environmental matter of concern to us all.

‘I’m also delighted that Beach Buddies will be putting their new equipment to further good use when they support the Council’s Big Tidy Up campaign later this year.’

Beach Buddies’ Bill Dale said: ‘The timing for this donation could not have been better. Litter pickers are an important part of the equipment we need for our volunteers, but they do get damaged and need replacing fairly regularly.

'We are extremely grateful to the Council for recognising our needs, and the new litter pickers seem to be very robust, and will be put to very good use by our volunteers.

'We have a very good relationship with the Council and Beach Buddies is looking forward to again assisting with the Big Tidy Up campaign later this year.'

Councillor McNicholl added: ‘Much of the litter left on beaches and elsewhere could so easily be recycled. The Council does all it can to encourage recycling by offering a household kerbside collection service for recyclables and providing extensive and recently upgraded recycling facilities at its Eastern Household Waste Recycling Centre on the Middle River industrial estate.’

Domestic users may use the centre to recycle:

- Scrap metal (ferrous and non-ferrous);
- Green waste;
- Cardboard;
- Clothing;
- Paper;
- Plastic bottles;
- Glass bottles;
- Cans;
- Hardcore from DIY activities (in limited quantities);
- Car batteries;
- Household batteries;
- Fluorescent tubes and lamps;
- Engine oil
- Fridges and freezers (charges apply);
- TV’s and PC monitors (charges apply);
- Small electrical appliances;
- General household waste for the Energy from Waste Plant

Between April 1st and September 30th the centre is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 7pm and from 8am to 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Between October 1st and March 31st the centre is open from 8am to 4pm all week. On Senior Race Day opening hours are 8am to 4pm.

The centre is closed on New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Tynwald Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

For all enquiries contact 696446.

Photo - Beach Buddies Bill Dale, extreme left, with Council technical assistant Jeanette Edwards, assistant borough engineer Alan Donnelly and Councillor Ritchie McNicholl. Picture Andrew Barton.