Plastic Free North Devon 2025 (PFND) Day of Action this January. Wherever you are in North Devon and Torridge, we are encouraging everyone to come along to our annual Day of Action on 25th January 2025 Each year we galvanise the community, whether that be community groups, individuals, schools or businesses to head outside for a community clean to help tackle the global issue of plastic pollution on a local level.
We want to engage as many people as possible in the action. It can help build a feeling of connectedness between people and the planet. The growth and impact of the campaign requires a community effort, so they encourage you to get involved in any way that you can.
If you have already complete your clean please fill in our evidence collection survey to add stats our impact report.
How can you get involved:
ORGANISED CLEANS: Go along to an organised clean leading up to or on the Day of Action 25.01.2025. Click on the link for all the details of each clean.
22/01/25
Westward Ho! – 1pm – 3pm: Meet on the slipway
DAY OF ACTION – 25/01/2025
Instow – 11am – 1pm Meet at the Glorious Oyster Cafe
Sandymere – 11am – 1pm – Meet on Sandymere Beach – https://what3words.com/education.cakewalk.wages
Plastic free North Devon 2025 how you can help
- INDIVIDUAL ACTION: Carry out your own community clean, this could be a stroll around your village, a bracing dip in the ocean or a cycle around the park on the Day of Action 25.01.25, picking up rubbish as you go. Record how much you collected, where and send in your evidence. >> Evidence Collection Survey
- BUSINESSES: Organise a clean at your workplace on the Day of Action 25.01.25. Or in the week leading up to the Day of Action 20/01/25 – 24/01/25. Record what you have collected, send to PFND and we will enter everyone who took part into the prize draw. Evidence Collection Survey
- SCHOOLS: Organise a clean at your school in the week leading up to the Day of Action 20/01/25 – 24/01/25. Record what you have collected, send to PFND and we will enter everyone who took part into the prize draw. Evidence Collection Survey
Plastic pollution is still a huge and growing issue for our environment, wildlife and us which isn’t going away…yet. Production of plastic is still dramatically increasing, fuelled by petrochemical industries as they channel oil, originally destined for vehicles, into virgin plastic production. Plastic is a health issue as well as an environmental one. It has been found in our blood, placentas and in food and drinks. Several chemicals used in the production of plastic materials are known to be carcinogenic and can cause developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders.
Help reach the goal
We aim to keep building knowledge on the issue and providing opportunities to tackle this global issue but on a local scale. Cleaning up and physically connecting with the issue continues to be an important step. The Day of Action is one of these steps to encourage everyone to get in the great outdoors and pick up rubbish as you go connecting and giving back to nature at the same time.
Businesses can also get involved during the week by setting up a private clean in their workplace community with their staff in the week leading up to the Day of Action.
Operations Manager, PFND Anne-Marie Eveleigh says: ‘Whether you want to head out your front door and do a 5 minute clean in your own community or join a team of volunteers to tackle a much needed spot, it all counts. Working together on one week/day of the year helps people feel connected and invigorated by their actions. All action makes a difference to our planet and our individual communities. Plus you could win a dryrobe® Advance of your choice for taking part!’
Whatever action is taken can be logged and then entered into the draw to win a dryrobe® Advance!
We are looking for sponsors for both our Day of Action and also their Tarka Trail & Estuary Clean up. This is in order to help keep these vital campaigns going. If your business is interested in supporting their work please get in touch. (Different packages available for all sized businesses) info@plasticfreenorthdevon.org
If you are a litter picking group already, we would love to hear from you and get you involved too. Get in touch. info@plasticfreenorthdevon.org
About Plastic Free North Devon
Plastic Free North Devon is a local environmental charity with the mission to protect and improve the environment through community-led action. Founded in 2017, it aims to reduce single-use plastic consumption among residents, tourists, and businesses in North Devon. Here are some key aspects of their work:
- Community Engagement: The charity organizes various community activities such as beach cleans, repair cafes, and educational outreach programs. They have initiatives like the Ocean Explorer Academy for students, encouraging volunteering in conservation activities.
- Consortium and Partnerships: Plastic Free North Devon is part of a consortium formed in April 2018. Formed to address plastic pollution locally. This consortium includes a range of stakeholders from charities to local government bodies. The organisation focuses on communities, tourism, farming, fishing, and other businesses. Their strategy includes education, projects to reduce plastic waste, and focusing on both coastal and inland areas.
- Events and Campaigns: They have scheduled numerous events, including beach cleans, repair cafes, and special campaigns like the “Cleanse and Clean” competition to engage the community in environmental actions.
- Public Awareness and Education: Through school talks, visitor campaigns, and the provision of resources for reducing carbon footprints, they strive to educate and inspire behavior change towards a plastic-free lifestyle.
- Volunteer and Donation Opportunities: The charity relies on volunteers for its operations and encourages donations to support their initiatives. They also support those interested in organizing their own clean-up events.
- Media Presence: They’ve been featured on national platforms like BBC’s Countryfile, highlighting their efforts to combat plastic pollution in North Devon.
Overall, Plastic Free North Devon has made significant strides in fostering environmental consciousness and sustainable practices in the region, with a focus on actionable community involvement.
