Cassidy on a mission to save the sea

CASSIDY Connor says she was inspired to start local Beach Patrol group – 322Bellarine – after seeing the impact litter was making on our marine life.

The 14-year-old St Ignatius College Drysdale student has so far organised clean-ups at St Leonards and Point Lonsdale beaches, where she and fellow volunteers have collected lots of rubbish, especially cigarette butts and plastic straws.

“I always knew that there was a big issue with plastic, so I decided to step up and do something about it,” Cassidy said.

“I decided to create Beach Patrol, so I could gather some people who would want to go and pick up some rubbish every weekend or so, and we’d just walk along the beach and pick up as much rubbish as possible.

“We then sort it, and enter it on the Tangaroa Blue Foundation website, which is like a database.”

Cassidy said she started her local 322Bellarine group at the end of last year, and has already attracted about 20 people to just one clean-up session.

“I’m hoping it takes off and people want to get involved,” she said.

“I’m hoping I’m raising enough awareness so people who don’t know much about pollution and the impact of plastic are becoming aware.”

Cassidy has also featured in and helped make a documentary with the Tangaroa Blue Foundation, which highlighted the impact of plastic around the area.

“We were filming us walking along sections of a beach and showing the impact of plastics and rubbish on certain areas,” she said.

Beach Patrol is an organised network of volunteers and community beach cleaning groups, each originated under and part of the Beach Patrol movement in Melbourne.

Each group is defined by its suburb, is comprised of residents of that suburb and is named according to the relevant post code.

322Bellarine protects precious marine life by removing debris from our bays, oceans and rivers on the Bellarine Peninsula.

The group aims to raise community awareness as to the impacts of litter and seek to foster stewardship for protection of the ocean.

Members pledge one hour of voluntary cleaning per month and also join in group clean-ups on a regular basis throughout the year.

They are a family friendly group that includes people of all ages.

For more information, head to beachpatrol.com.au.