On to a ‘shore’ winner for the good of beach

The fledgling Friends of West Beach volunteer group, which meets on a monthly basis to clean the beach and the neighbouring dunes, is appealing for more to come forward and help the cause.

The group formed after taking part in the summer Opening the Door to the Shore project, which was established by the Littlehampton Town Council after a successful bid for almost £10,000 in funds from the National Lottery, in June.

Since then, dozens of people have taken part in the scheme, co-ordinated by the town council and Arun District Council, with the aim of to teaching residents and visitors how to preserve the picturesque beach and its protected wildlife.

Activities included wildlife surveys and litter-picking, along with educational walks, leaflets and art-based fun, organised by project leaders Vicky Lawrence and Jessie Rodriguez.

Jessie said: “Volunteers are confident that their fledgling Friends of West Beach group will become a strong voice for the beach in the future. They have a large database of supporters which has been built up through the project and many ideas for future projects and funding.”

Commenting on the Opening the Door to the Shore Project, councillor Paul Dendle, Arun cabinet member for the environment, said: “I’m delighted the project has been so successful and I congratulate all involved, as well as the dedicated volunteers. This project is a perfect example of what we can achieve by working together.”

The West Beach volunteers meet on the first Wednesday of every month at 10.30am outside the West Beach information centre, to conduct litter picks and other conservation tasks.

For more information about the Beach, contact Dee Christensen on, 01903 737957 or e-mail [email protected]