Marine litter and debris is a problem not only for beach goers, as the litter can wash up on the shores making it an ugly place to visit, but it has much more of an impact on local wildlife. We've all seen the pictures and videos of birds tangled in fishing nets or turtles having to have operations to remove plastic drinking straws from their noses. This is just a few of the impacts that marine litter has on local wildlife, it hampers marine diversity and pollutes local environments.

As a newly certified diver I am becoming increasingly aware of marine pollution and litter and am taking steps to use my new skills to tackle the issue. Project Aware is a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) sponsored programme that brings like-minded divers together in an effort to increase awareness about these issues and to take action against it. Project Aware's 'Dive Against Debris' is one of the ways I plan to help combat the impacts of marine litter on the local environment.

The money I am raising will go towards the costs of organising, running and participating in Project Aware, Dive Against Debris events across the UK. I hope that you share my opinions on this issue, you can find out more about Project Aware and what it does at https://www.projectaware.org/

Thank you,
Ross