Residents from a Kent care home have carried out a beach clean to mark International Coastal Cleanup Day — as they look to help preserve the coastline for future generations.
And with this week marking the Great British Beach Clean (15th-24th September), the home is urging others to follow their lead and get involved.
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 in Dymchurch – which saw residents picking up litter and ocean debris that had been washed in by the tide.
In recent years, the growing problem of beach litter and pollution has been a cause for concern – something that had been noted by residents of the New Hall Close home, and was the source of inspiration behind their effort
Noting Saturday the 16th of September was International Coastal Cleanup Day, a global initiative dedicated to preserving the coastlines and protecting wildlife, the care home team, which included a mix of residents, carers and families headed down to the beach to try and make a difference.
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!”
These sentiments were echoed by Kelly Parker, Care Home Manager at the Old Rectory, who 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!”
Watch a video of The Old Rectory team’s beach clean, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOjfvYt-vwk&ab_channel=ACICare
For further information on The Old Rectory and ACI Care, please visit https://aci.care/our-homes/the-old-rectory/
