Support The Wightlink Beach Clean

10 April 2022

Wightlink, one of Sail 4 Cancer’s longest standing supporters, is organising a Beach Clean in Ryde on Isle of Wight. The event is taking place on Saturday 14 May as part of the company’s wider commitment to environmental standards and care of the ocean environment.

A number of Sail 4 Cancer volunteers will be taking part on the day, so why not come along and join us? Wightlink will be including free ferry travel from Portsmouth to Ryde for people who are joiing from the mainland.

In 2021, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) reported an average of 385 pieces of litter for every 100 metres of beach on average. The MCS continued by saying that 75% of beach litter was still plastic or polystyrene and that the government’s “piecemeal” approach to phasing out single-use plastic was not good enough.

Recent research shows that plastic items from takeaway food and drinks still dominate litter in the world’s oceans. A study in 2020 found the UK and US produced more plastic waste per person than any other major country.

The Wightlink Beach Clean itself will start at 12:30 on 14 May and people will assemble at the Ryde Esplanade station building from 12:00 (in the space adjacent to the ticket office). We aim to finish by 15:30 at the latest.

Supporters from the mainland will travel on the FastCat at 11:15 from Portsmouth Harbour and return later that afternoon at circa 15:30. We hope to see you there!