Littlehampton July OSPAR

Join this beach clean to help us stop harmful litter from reaching the ocean and collect vital data that we can use to bring about positive change for our seas.

Join me for a sunny beach clean at West Beach Littlehampton! We will clean for approximately 45 minutes, following a safety briefing and will end with a debrief. A few pointers ahead of the session: We will meet at the end of the carpark in front of the café where I will start my briefing, and we will continue onto the beach to the start point together. My briefing will start promptly at 10.30am, so please arrive early so that I can ensure all kit distributed before we head onto the beach. If you arrive after this time please come onto the beach and look for the blue flag – we will be collecting litter and data until approx. 11.30am. The meeting point can be reached by car via the track road up to West Beach (Rope Walk). If you are coming on the train, please be aware the walk is approximately a mile, and there is no pavement along the track to West Beach in some areas, so please factor enough travel time into your day to reach us safely. Access to the beach from the carpark is rocky and uneven, and the beach currently is very similar. The boardwalk is now closed. Please do let me know in advance if you have any access concerns and I will be able to advise you on the terrain in more detail. Although this is a dog friendly beach, we do from time to time find litter that is sharp or dangerous. Furry friends are welcome but please remain vigilant! Similarly, if you are bringing children along, please make sure they remain with you at all times and that you closely monitor the litter they are collecting. There are a couple of undulating pebble banks that have developed from the stones being pushed up by the waves, and steep drops to the other side of the breakwater, so please remain alert when on the beach. I will point these areas out to you during the briefing. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring suncream and water! Although there is a small café by the carpark, there is no other shelter at West Beach, so please do factor this in when planning what to bring/wear. Similarly, there are no guarantees that the public toilets will be open I’m afraid, as this is somewhat more remote than the main strip of Littlehampton, though these can be found at the carpark end of the boardwalk. The next nearest public toilets are on the other side of the river in Littlehampton town. The car park at West Beach is chargeable, and there is limited parking. This can usually be paid by a parking Apps or cash. Please ensure that nobody from your group, including children or dogs, crosses the fences into the restricted sand dune areas either side of the boardwalk, or towards the back of the beach, even to collect litter. These are protected wildlife spaces and are strictly prohibited as a site of special scientific interest.