Beach Litter Tackled by Green Energy Team

Beach Litter Tackled by Green Energy Team

Staff from green energy company Ørsted headed to South Walney Nature Reserve to help tackle beach litter.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve on the southern tip of Walney Island is a protected haven for ground nesting birds and other wildlife, but is constantly being inundated with litter washing up onto the beaches.

Nine Ørsted staff from around the country took a day out of their normal job, to carry out a conservation work day and picked up 174.8kg of litter, which included discarded fishing equipment and nets, and wheels. The wild work day had added benefits of helping the staff health and wellbeing, and team building.

Sophie Groth Larsen, Senior Project Lead, Consents- UK Executions & Operations, at Ørsted said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to staff at Cumbria Wildlife Trust for a great day on Thursday and also for spoiling us with the delicious cakes and hot drinks! We all really enjoyed the day and to see the great visitors centre. It is not often we get to see the results of the community benefit fund and hear first-hand how others benefit from it. Our thanks go to all the staff for welcoming us and sharing their knowledge with us.”

Ørsted financially contributed to the creation of the new visitor cabin at South Walney Nature Reserve through its Community Benefit Fund.

Michelle Waller, Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Senior Development Officer, said: “The company’s green energy generating wind turbines can been seen from the nature reserve and so when Sophie from Ørsted got in touch about wanting to put something back and support a local conservation organisation, South Walney Nature Reserve seemed like the perfect match. We very much welcome businesses teams to help clean up the beaches at South Walney.”

Orsted beach clean at South Walney

Orsted staff help to clean up the beach at South Walney Nature Reserve
© Michelle Waller