Marine conservation with positive social outreach - Ocean Well Being project

The plastic free pirates at Clean Ocean Sailing are running a new project inviting participants from all walks of life to join them in the fight against plastic pollution and look after their own mental health at the same time by active participation during coastal clean ups.

The Ocean Well Being project brings together marine conservation and positive social outreach. During sailing trips on our 117 year old traditional wooden boat “Annie”, participants can experience sailing, kayaking, rowing and wild swimming alongside activities with a positive environmental impact like beach cleaning, processing marine plastics for recycling and repurposing.

Through participating in challenging outdoor activities, working as a team, COS aim to build self-confidence in participants and a sense of achievement. The beach cleans allow for a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of human impact on our marine environment and the importance of preserving the marine ecosystem. Conversations about mental health provide practical tools and a greater understanding of the benefits of physical activity, time spent in nature, interpersonal relationships and having a sense of purpose along with coping skills to take away, making a lasting difference in participants lives.

Participants of the pilot Ocean Well Being project [2022] are reflecting on their best moments:

Project therapist Sarah MacQueen is helping provide a safe space and opportunity to explore participants concerns around mental and physical health, covering aspects of personal and climate anxiety, reconnection to self and the natural environment and how to extend these coping skills in their everyday lives.

Ships cook and chief forager Stuart Woodman leads wild food foraging trips; whilst ashore we clean the beach then look for wild treats hidden around the beautiful Cornish coast, we all get stuck in preparing the food, fire making or if the weather is bad then back in the shelter of the old pirate ship we make a delicious feast to end the day.

Through learning about marine environmental concerns and ways in which individual and collective action benefit the natural world, participants gain a sense of purpose. In learning new skills and engaging in physical activity they are building self-confidence and in working together as a team to protect and care for the place where we all live, they are achieving a sense of connection and belonging.

Make a positive difference

By donating anything you can, you will be directly contributing to keeping this beautiful part of our country free from the plastic pollution that is devastating our oceans and wildlife.

You will also be allowing us to continue with our beach cleans, working with local people and businesses on finding solutions to the problem and keeping the issue of marine litter in the public eye.

For every £2 we will be able to pick up one bag full of marine plstic

For every £10 we will pick up 10 kg of waste

For every £500 we will collect 5 dumpy bags full of marine plastic washed up by the sea

For every £1000 we will transport a tonne of marine litter under sail to the recycling centre in Exeter.

Thank you!

Love to the Planet! Love to the Ocean!

Clean Ocean Sailing crew

Clean Ocean Sailing

(COS) is a well-established and respected organisation taking direct action to improve the marine environment around UK coastlines. In doing so, COS contributes to the creation of a circular economy around marine plastics, striving to raise awareness about the Ocean Crisis and its consequences for local, national and global communities.

We work with volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. So far, we have recovered over 55 tons of marine waste. Our central message is to Refuse, Recover, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle the marine plastic devastating our marine environments. COS activities are achievable by all, encouraging people from every walk of life to join in and empowering them to make a difference.

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More about us at www.cleanoceansailing.com and Patreon

If you have any questions please contact us at cleanoceansailing@gmail.com