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Big Dee Day 2014

Published: 10/09/2014

This year’s Big Dee Day takes place on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 September. The annual clean-up, which is coordinated by Flintshire County Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Natural Resources Wales is back. For two days, across North Wales and Cheshire, volunteers, conservation groups and businesses will join forces with council services and Natural Resources Wales. All involved work hard to clear the river and marine litter that washes up along the River Dee and paint and care for the special places along its banks and coast, from the Welsh mountains to the coastal habitat of the Dee estuary. Last year, hundreds of people took part, and hundreds of bags of litter were collected across the region. In Flintshire, the efforts are coordinated by the Council’s Coastal Rangers and Streetscene service. Coastal rangers also take the opportunity to work with community groups to plant trees, bulbs and help restore wetland habitat along the county’s coastline with community volunteers. Councillor Bernie Attridge, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “This is the eighth Big Dee Day organised on the Dee Estuary since 2007. Its aim of cleaning our coastline for visitors and wildlife is being achieved. This, hand in hand with the Wales Coast Path works, makes our coastline well and truly worth a visit. As a cross border event we are tackling a national and worldwide problem with people, business and communities in Flintshire. Don’t forget there is still time to get involved if anyone wants to do their bit for our seas and coastal communities.” Senior Ranger Mike Taylor, said: “This is good for wildlife and for our communities, and is everyone’s opportunity to make an impact on our local environment. Our aim is to clear the river of all the plastics we can safely reach within 48 hours from Talacre and Hilbre Island to Chester and Llangollen. If you have a group who would like to take part, we would love to hear from you.” Please contact the Visitors Centre at Wepre Park in Connah’s Quay on 01244 814931 for information about events taking place in Flintshire. Notes to Editors The Big Dee Day was first established by Flintshire Countryside Service, part of Flintshire County Council, in 2007, and has been an annual event since then. The idea first began on Talacre beach when Flintshire Countryside Service and partners BHP Billiton, Presthaven Sands, Talacre Beach Club, the local community and Natural Resources Wales decided to survey the beach to help highlight marine litter and the damage it can do. Since then, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Denbighshire County Council, Wrexham County Borough Council, Wirral Borough Council and now Snowdonia National Park, plus many other volunteers and local businesses – including Airbus, Kingspan, and Kimberly Clark - have also got involved and the event has gone from strength to strength. Thousands of bags of litter have been collected by hundreds of volunteers, and this year’s event promises to be the biggest yet!