THE public is being asked to report litter trouble spots to help a local volunteer group clean up the island before thousands of visitors arrive for the TT.
The project is the idea of the established beach cleaning group Beach Buddies, which is planning an eight-day campaign to target not just beaches, but also glens, parks and footpaths.
‘The Big One TT Tidy Up’ will start this coming weekend, and runs until May 19 at venues all over the island.
‘This is an idea we wanted to start for last year’s TT, but we simply didn’t have enough volunteers,’ said Beach Buddies founder Bill Dale.
‘However, in the space of a year we now have more than 900 volunteers on our list, and we are in a position to make a major impact on the Island in time for this year’s TT.
‘You don’t need to be an existing Beach Buddies volunteer to take part. Anyone is asked to join in, even if it means just collecting a shopping bag full of rubbish in the road outside your front door.’
Beach Buddies has organised a series of daily events, including midweek sessions lasting around one hour, beginning each evening at 6.30pm.
Braddan Commissioners is the first local authority to sign up to be involved, with three cleaning sessions organised for one evening next week in the Braddan Bridge area and the TT Access Road.
The Isle of Man Open Water Swimming Group will take part in their first ever beach cleaning session when they get involved in a session in the south of the island later in the week.
‘We have already announced the venue of some events at places where we know there is a litter problem, but we are asking the public to report any areas which they believe are in urgent need of a tidy up before the TT, and we will set about sorting it out,’ added Mr Dale.
‘It’s a chance for everyone on the Island to make a contribution, whether it’s just cleaning up a few items from the street outside their front door or to contact us about a particularly bad spot which would require a team to tackle it.’
Timetable:
Monday, May 13: Braddan Parish, 6.30pm, Braddan Church
Tuesday, May 14: Poyll Dhooey, 6.30pm, The White Bridge
Wednesday, May 15: The Sound, 6.30pm, Sound car park
Thursday, May 16: Ramsey beach, 6.30pm, Northern prom, opposite Rugby Club
Friday, May 17: Port Erin, 6.30pm, Lifeboat House roadside
Saturday, May 18: Peel-Fenella-Castle, 10.30am, Fenella Beach car park
Sunday, May 19: Scarlett Trail, 10.30am, Scarlett car park
Contact Beach Buddies at beachbuddies@manx.net