Litter picking group rallies at Fife beach in 'constant need of attention'

David Spence (68) from Glenrothes has been picking litter around the Kingdom as part of the Fife Street Champions Facebook group.

Along with other group organisers, he has set up the Seafield Shenanigans beach clean on Sunday, January 15.

He said: “Seafield beach is a dirty beach to be honest with you. A lot of stuff comes in with the tide or down the rivers from more inland Fife.

"In addition to that, the sewers often overflow and the beach gets covered in wet wipes”.

The Fife Street Champions Facebook group was started in 2018 by Hilary Haman. From a few dozen members when David joined in July of its first year, it now has over 3,000 members based around the globe.

David estimates that around 10 per cent of those in the group are active litter pickers. He still regularly gets out with his picker and is now an administrator on the page.

He said: “It started for me when I used to walk my daughter’s labrador a couple of days a week. Everywhere I took her in Fife, it was always a mess.

“There was one particular place in Glenrothes I used to take her where it was always the same rubbish - it wasn’t new rubbish.

“I picked up a can one day and looked at the bottom of it and the date showed it had been lying there for four or five years”.

Before long David was venturing out on his own and looking for like-minded people. He joined the Facebook group and has helped as it has gone from strength to strength.

Members estimate that they have collected more than 30,000 bags over the last three years, with 8795 bags in 2022. Some members have even taken to weighing their collections, with one reporting nearly a ton of litter collected in 2022.

The Seafield beach clean is at 10.00am. More information at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/223995881675219