Mum’s support to reduce damage at beaches

Mum’s support to reduce damage at beaches

16 May 2018

THIS weekend’s Royal wedding will shine the spotlight on a charity dedicated to protecting local beaches.

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marry at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday, their guests will have boosted Surfers Against Sewage, which is one of seven charities chosen by the Royal couple to benefit from donations given in lieu of gifts.

Far from the glamour of the high profile nuptials, in Downpatrick will be new mum Carla Magee, who dedicated her maternity leave to volunteering for the charity by pledging to clean up the local coastline from Newcastle to Ballyhornan.

Despite her delight at the publicity levelled at Surfers Against Sewage by the Royal couple, Carla (33) is likely to be trawling a beach with a bin bag rather than enjoying the wedding coverage.

Carla, who discovered a love for surfing as a teenager, says she has become more determined over the years to help battle the plastic litter that blights the beaches where she enjoys her sport.

Having recently returned to Downpatrick from England to spend her maternity leave, Carla has already co-ordinated clean-ups in Ballyhornan, Ardglass and Newcastle, removing dozens of bags of plastic, including hundreds of bottles, balloons and fishermen’s gloves.

She is now supporting the charity’s ambitious call to get towns to go plastic free.

Although she recognises this may be a tall order, she hopes publicity about the devastation of local beaches by plastic will encourage people to take some small steps towards a plastic-free home or business.

When asked by her mum, Mary, to buy a lime last week, Carle said she was dismayed to realise she could only buy them in packs of four in a plastic case and wrapped in plastic.

“I could not buy a single lime or loose mushrooms, everything is wrapped needlessly in plastic,” she said.

“As a charity, we are appealing for people to be aware of their single use plastic, by exchanging plastic for cardboard where possible by switching to biodegradable disposable cups and cutlery and forgetting about straws.

“When you go into a bar very often two straws are put in your glass when one would be enough, or better still do without because that straw will go to landfill. Once you notice the rubbish on the beaches it is hard not to be annoyed by it.”

With the summer approaching, Carla says she dreads the plastic piles often left behind by crowds on sunny days.

“As a surf instructor, I work on the beach most days and it is normally quiet, “she said. “But on hot busy days there are hundreds of people on the beaches and when I look at it once they leave it is devastating.

“It really is disgraceful covered in plastic bottles and lids, cigarette lighters and fishermen’s gear.

“Now that I have the time while I am home in Downpatrick I want to do what I can to reduce the damage to our beaches. It is heart breaking”.

Carla is also highlighting an online campaign encouraging people to do a little bit of clearing on their beaches through the hashtag #Take3fortheSea or #twominutebeachclean.