Woolacombe beachgoers swap boards for silent disco cleanups

Beachgoers at the National Trust’s Woolacombe beach are swapping their boogie boards for a unique "boogie" experience: Silent Disco Beach Cleans. 

These events, organised by North Devon National Trust rangers in collaboration with Plastic Free Woolacombe, aim to protect the coastline by combining conservation efforts with music-filled fun.

The introduction of tune-filled headphones has significantly increased participation in the monthly beach cleans, attracting both new and younger volunteers. 

One recent event saw nearly 100 people don headphones and grab litter pickers, a turnout three times higher than typical cleanups.

Louise Gavin, a volunteer at the latest event, said: “It’s great to be able to come out and help the local community to keep the beaches clean. It’s important to us to help the local wildlife in any way that we can and work to prevent more plastic from getting into the ocean.”

Located within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Woolacombe's beach and sand dunes attract over 10,000 visitors daily during the summer. Regular cleanups ensure the area remains a safe habitat for marine wildlife, including seabirds like gannets and puffins, and marine mammals such as dolphins and seals.

North Devon National Trust Ranger Fraser Goodfellow praised the impact of the Silent Disco Beach Cleans and said: “We’ve been running monthly beach cleans at Woolacombe for over a year, and the addition of North Devon Silent Disco has brought together a diverse mix of local residents and holidaymakers. Nearly half of the participants are first-time beach cleaners, and it’s fantastic to see such a wide range of people volunteering their time.”

Plastic waste remains the most significant pollutant on Woolacombe's shores, with 90 percent of collected rubbish being plastic or polystyrene. 

Efforts focus on removing these harmful materials, including tiny plastic pellets called 'nurdles,' which can be mistaken for food by marine wildlife.

Deborah Vos from Plastic Free Woolacombe emphasised the long-lasting nature of plastic pollution.

She said: “These items show the permanent nature of plastic in our natural surroundings and the sheer scale of the problem we face to clear up our shores.  By holding events like the Silent Disco Beach Cleans at Woolacombe we aim to connect people with their natural surroundings to ensure residents, communities and visitors alike want to protect what our very existence depends on.

“We want to see radical transformation towards a more informed relationship with the environment, resulting in actions like taking part in today’s clean up here at Woolacombe that result in a healthier planet for both people and nature.”

The Silent Disco Beach Cleans will continue on the last Sunday of each month throughout the summer. 

To join a cleanup or learn more about the National Trust’s efforts at Woolacombe, visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/woolacombe