Working in close partnership over several years, Bird Aware Solent and the Final Straw Foundation have been educating young people about our coastal wildlife and inspiring them to help reduce plastic pollution of our shorelines. Recent events in Emsworth – and a forthcoming event on the shores of Hayling Island – provide fun ways for children to learn about and enjoy our coastal environment.
Bird Aware Solent’s aim is to raise awareness of the many birds reliant on the Solent coastline for survival, and to help people enjoy the coastline without disturbing them. The Final Straw Foundation works with local communities and businesses to highlight the impact of plastic pollution on our environment, working to minimise the amount of plastic entering the sea. From providing fun games on birds’ beaks and what they eat, to making shopping bags from old t-shirts to recycle fast fashion, both organisations have worked hard together to inform, educate and engage with the public.
On Saturday 14 August between noon and 4pm, both will be in attendance at the Marine Funday, a free event behind held behind the Tourist Information Centre on Hayling Island. Bird Aware Solent will be running fun activities helping people identify the many birds along our shoreline. The Final Straw Foundation will be running litter picks with a twist – a special device called a trommel will be on site, so visitors can find and remove unwanted micro-plastics from the environment.
“I’m proud to see another example of Bird Aware Solent’s excellent partnership work.” said Councillor Seán Woodward, Chairman of the Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH), the organisation that oversees Bird Aware Solent. “Through acknowledging the many pressures on our precious environment, and doing so collaboratively, we can help educate and inspire future generations to cherish our magnificent Solent shoreline.”
Bianca Jayne-Carr, founder and director of the Final Straw Foundation stated “It’s an absolute honour to continue working with Bird Aware. We have spent the past few years working towards benefiting our wildlife and greater environment together and we love all they have taught us in relation to what we do and the fabulous birds around our coasts. It’s invaluable having them there to educate us and assist us with our mission of highlighting the issues of plastic pollution. We’re excited by future link ups.”
For more information on the Final Straw Foundation, visit www.finalstrawfoundation.org.
