What is your volunteer role?
Southsea Beachwatch organises and co-ordinates monthly beach cleans in Southsea and Eastney. At the cleans, I help to give out equipment to all our volunteers and make sure everybody knows what they’re doing and where they’re going. I also run our Instagram page and am helping to build our website, and any other tasks that need to be done!
How often do you volunteer?
I have been volunteering since January. The beach cleans cleans take us around three hours from set up to rubbish collection, and I spent a couple of hours a week managing our Instagram page.
How did you find your volunteering role?
I found the role on the Portsmouth Together page after searching for environmental charities in the area I could get involved with.
What do you enjoy about volunteering?
I love meeting new, passionate people every month who come to our cleans, and I love the sense of community that our events bring.
What impact has volunteering had on you?
Our group is very close and we get on very well so I’ve made some great friends. It’s been wonderful to work with like-minded people on such an inspiring activity! It’s also made me a lot more conscious of how much litter is actually out there, and now I can’t walk along a beach without doing a mini litter pick!
What impact has volunteering had on the people you work with?
I have met many other green charities and organisations that I have gotten involved with, and I am very grateful that Portsmouth has such a thriving green community that are so passionate about our planet!
Anything else?
Volunteering is one of the best things you can do – it builds self-confidence, helps you learn new skills and brings you together with amazing people. Everybody should try and get involved with some of the charities in our area. Also, make sure you keep up to date with our cleans and come along to help us clear our oceans of plastic!
