Although threatened by the weather forecast, on Coronation Bank Holiday Monday, 8th May, 13 Rotarians and friends were blessed with a dry morning for Bangor Rotary’s contribution to King Charles’ Big Help Out, cleaning and picking up litter on Ballyholme Beach, writes PP James O’Fee.

We collected a huge quantity of rubbish – Mayor Rotarian Karen Douglas reports that we lifted 22 bags of waste, weighing 100 kg. Furthermore we sorted waste into recyclable waste and that destined for landfill. Indeed the recycling waste filled 11 bags of the overall total.

A wall rings the border between the beach and what was once the Kinghan estate. From previous visits, Mayor Karen claimed that just across the wall lay Council land, which had been used as a dump by numerous litter louts.  Karen came prepared with a ladder which 4 of us scaled to collect rubbish there. We did what we could, but we left plenty remaining in the undergrowth.

After an enjoyable and productive session, many of us adjourned to the local Baylands café for a reviving hot drink.

Such has been this venture’s success, that we plan a further effort on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th May – meeting once again at Banks Lane at 9.00 am.

Donaghadee Rotary, too, planned to take part in the Big Help Out that same day, with their litter-picking goal Crumlin Wood (near Donaghadee). But they were put off by the weather forecast and have postponed this to a later date.

Bangor Rotarians and Friends

  1. Rotarian Madam Mayor Karen Douglas

  2. PP James O’Fee

  3. Richard Morrow (friend and neighbour of James O’Fee

  4. Rotarian Brian Wilson

  5. Rotarian Andy Young

  6. Mrs Siegrid Young

  7. PP Stanley Smith

  8. PP Denis Neill

  9. PP John Birch

  10. Rotarian Jack Watson

  11. Mrs Rae Watson

  12. Joanne (sister of PP Paul Hatty)

  13. Carter (son of Joanne)

PP Gavin keeps an eye on what appears on the website!