This is the latest contribution from one of our younger generation of correspondents, Xavier Marrs, aged 10 years.
I am a volunteer with Strandliners, which is a group that meet regularly to litter pick next to rivers and seas. This group not only takes away the rubbish, but collects the data of this rubbish and sends it to worldwide surveys such as Marine Conservation Society, Surfers Against Sewage and Break Free From Plastic, to be studied to understand where the rubbish comes from.
Recently, Strandliners completed a survey next to an area of Ministry of Defence land at a Dungeness beach. We had to go through a health and safety protocol about the fact that there may be sharp metal, and that we must not touch any dead or dying birds because of the local outbreak of avian influenza.
We walked to an outflow pipe and rested for a bit. Then we set up two posts to mark out a 100 metre length survey area along the beach. We had been looking at the sea birds, and had noticed an oystercatcher flying nearby. We later saw three oystercatcher eggs on the beach, and so moved away from that area. Many bags full of litter were collected, including strange hunks of metal that looks as though they had been blasted from something.
After that came much-needed delicious cake and flapjack!
We were given the choice of collecting more litter beyond the survey area, which I did. I was walking with one of the other volunteers and while picking up the litter we found a huge fender and a pink buoy as exciting treasures!
We made our way back to the place we started from, picking up litter on the way. The rubbish was weighed and recorded, we then said goodbye and left.
A fantastic walk now not covered by litter. The data was sent to the surveys where it is now recorded.
