The Exe Estuary Management Partnership (EEMP) has occasionally organised beach clean up events in the past, but does not run any regular clean up activities. While beach cleans are not a core part of our programme, we are happy to help promote clean up events organised by others. If you are planning a beach clean and would like it featured on the Exe Estuary website or in our newsletters, please send the details to the Exe Estuary mailbox at exeestua@devon.gov.uk.
Big Autumn Clean-Up 2023!
This year, volunteers came out in force to clean the estuary, with over 100 volunteers signed up for our Big September Clean-Up! After recording a significant decrease in rubbish where we usually clean this year we decided to tackle Exmouth Seafront and The Maer. This reduction in litter in our natural environment is great news! It indicates that litter-picks by volunteers really are having a positive effect on the estuary. Volunteers collected a good pile of rubbish, including plastic and a lot of foam lagging… rubbish that would otherwise have ended up in our seas!
A huge THANK YOU to the local businesses who continue to support our Clean-Ups! These are local, family run businesses who really go out of their
way to provide very generous treats for all of our volunteers: Krispies Fish & Chips kindly offered everyone a delicious mini-meal! Much appreciated after a couple of hours cleaning the est
uary area. Their fish is responsibly and sustainably sourced, and they have won lots of well-deserved awards. Visit their website to find out more at www.krispies.co.uk, or pop to one of their chippies to support your local business.
Stuart Line Cruises took all volunteers aboard a peaceful cruise of the estuary. Commentary from the skipper explained all the local sights, and we were lucky enough to spot three seals! If you would like a guided tour of the Exe to spot local wildlife and explore the landscape, take a look at their website at www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk.
Also thanks to East Devon District Council Streetscene for equipment and collection of the rubbish. And a massive thanks to all of the amazing volunteers for working so hard to take care of our estuary!
It’s not all about big clean up events, you can still do your part and we want to encourage users of the Estuary, surrounding beaches and Exe Estuary Trail to get involved. Please do follow the latest COVID-19 government guidelines. If you need some inspiration then check out these fantastic initiatives below:
If you are organising your own beach clean or litter pick please check out our ‘Organising your own litter picks‘ page before heading out,
Autumn Clean-Up: 14th September 2019 at Exmouth LNR
The big Exe Clean-Up brought together 110 volunteers and several local businesses to clear hazardous rubbish from the popular beauty spot in Exmouth. In the bi-annual clean-up event, piles of rubbish were pulled from the estuary, making it safer for visitors to the Local Nature Reserve in Exmouth.
Hazardous items such as sheets of metal, broken crab pots, rusting car wheels and glass were removed from the area, creating a safer environment for recreational users, families and the protected local wildlife. Some of the more unusual items found included rolls of carpet, a mop head and an ornate clay smoking pipe. Volunteers got creative at this event and used old sledges to drag the larger items of rubbish back to shore… better than trying to carry them!
Several local businesses stepped in to support this large clean-up of the estuary. Volunteers were treated to a delicious hot meal from the award-winning Krispies Fish & Chips, voted one of the best chip shops in the UK, and were provided with fresh fruit from McDonald’s before the clean-up. Stuart Line Cruises, who are a long-term sponsor of these events, also took all volunteers on a cruise of the estuary after the clean-up, where volunteers were treated to a lazy seal basking bobbing around on a mooring! On board the cruise, ACE Music filled the sea air with jazz tunes. Equipment for the clean-up was very kindly donated by Clear-Reach Exterior Cleaning Specialist and East Devon District Council was able to remove and recycle the rubbish collected.
The owners of Krispies Fish & Chips, Tim and Kelly Barnes said: “Krispies are delighted to once again support the Exe Estuary Beach Clean. We are passionate about keeping our local environment clean so wildlife can thrive, and everyone is able to enjoy this incredible piece of coastline.”