Citizen scientists sought

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Strandliners CIC, a Rye-based community-interest company dedicated to clearing plastic and other toxic pollutants from our beaches and rivers, has launched a new open-to-all initiative: community action teams.

“The idea,” says executive director Andrew Dinsdale, “is to recruit and train citizen scientists across the Rother district. Qualified team-leaders drawn from a pool of participating trainees will train and deploy their own self-managed teams under the Strandliners banner.”

Picking up plastic from area beaches and riverbanks is a herculean task requiring hundreds of volunteer-hours each year. “The problem,” adds Dinsdale, “is that the waste keeps washing up with every new tide. We need to find out where it’s coming from.”

The newly-formed community action teams will monitor their own strategically located sites in the Rother basin. “About 60 per cent of the rubbish our volunteers pick, sort and record comes from inland: cotton-bud sticks, single-use plastics, food containers. Community action teams will help us identify the sources and stop the flow,” says Dinsdale.

If you’d like to train as a Strandliners’ citizen scientist, email: strandlinerscic@gmail.com or visit their website, where you can also sign up to receive their monthly newsletter. The next hands-on training and information sessions have already been scheduled:

Saturday, September 28: Community action team session 1 (intro), St Nick’s Church, Pett Level TN35 4EH, 2:30pm to 5pm. Space is limited so advance booking is essential. Admission and participation are free.

Saturday, October 5: Community action team session 1 (intro), Camber Sands, Central Car Park, Old Lydd Rd, Camber, Rye TN31 7RH (tbc), 2pm to 4:30pm

The community action team programme is generously supported by Rother District Council and Sea-Changers, a UK charity

You can also help out Strandliners on these upcoming dates:

Friday, September 20: Winchelsea Beach Great British Beach Clean survey and clean up. Meet at the car park by the toilets at end of Dog’s Hill Road,Winchelsea Beach TN36 4LX, 4pm to 6pm

Sunday, September 22: Pett Level Great British Beach Clean survey and clean up. Meet at the Smuggler Pub, Pett Level TN35 4EH, 10am to 12pm

Image Credits: Sandy Spencer/Andy Dinsdale .

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