Despite the weather being our opponent, last month we zipped up our waterproofs, braved the rain and headed down to Bognor Beach to help the MCS (Marine Conservation Society) with some crucial research.

Armed with litter pickers and bin bags, we spent our morning cleaning up a stretch of the beach and logging the bits of litter we found.

Why did we choose MCS?

They truly care about conserving the UK coastline and our amazing sea life. As a company with a prominent environment and sustainability desk, we knew choosing a charity that would support and reflect this was essential.

Throughout the hours we spent there, Aj Akoh (Leading our Environment and Sustainability desk) and Hannah Pitfield (Compliance Coordinator) recorded data for their research on what we found on our section of the coast.

Besides the usual suspects, such as bottle caps, coffee cups, and discarded napkins, we also had some eventful finds, such as makeup and even undergarments. 

Our time cleaning the beach contributes to vital research that helps identify trends, especially the rate and type of litter polluting our coastline and the marine life that inhabits it.

Recently, the MCS announced that since the introduction of mandatory charges for plastic carrier bags, they have seen an 80% drop in the number of them washed up on UK shores. 

The day was a great success, and a trip to the coast wouldn't have been complete without fish and chips!

We will continue to support such a hands-on charity and hope to participate in another beach clean soon.