Volunteers who help to keep County Durham’s coastline clean will continue to be supported thanks to council funding.
Durham County Council works alongside other local authorities, and organisations such as The National Trust, Durham Wildlife Trust, Groundwork and Northumbrian Water, as part of the Heritage Coast Partnership.
The partnership aims to conserve, protect and enhance the whole of the Heritage coastline.
Since 2021, 4,511 volunteers who have supported the partnership have helped collect 5,175 bags of rubbish from the Durham coastline, through 321 beach cleans.
Spanning from Seaham Hall beach to Crimdon beach, volunteers from schools, colleges and businesses, as well as individuals and community groups have worked hard to protect the environment.
The council has now provided funding to allow the partnership’s beach care officer to continue in post for up to three years.
The officer will continue to organise the volunteer effort and to engage with members of the public to develop their understanding of the coast.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We’re so grateful to everyone for their efforts in helping to keep our coastline clean.
“Our Heritage Coast is hugely important to County Durham, not just for its stunning scenery but also its wildlife and natural habitats, with many Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
“Everyone who has volunteered their time is helping to protect this special environment.
“We are committed to ensuring this continues for years to come and that is why we have provided funding that will allow the partnership’s beach care officer to continue in their post to organise even more clean ups and help raise awareness of the importance of tidying up after ourselves after a visit to the beach.”
Emily Routledge, head of development and communications at Durham Wildlife Trust, said: “It is so important that we all work together through the partnership to do our bit to protect this incredible environment.
“We want to ensure everyone is able to enjoy our coastline, for generations to come.
“To do that, we need to raise awareness of how important this landscape is and make sure that we rally residents to take charge of their own environment by helping to keep it clean. We look forward to this work continuing over the next few years.”
Some of the most common items now found during beach cleans include microplastics, plastic bottles and disposable vapes, with visitors urged to take all rubbish home with them.
More information on recycling, including recycling points for vapes, can be found at durham.gov.uk/reducereuserecycle
