Kirkcaldy barber shops team up for seventh year of annual beach clean

Revolution Barbershop and Power Barbershop in the Lang Toun’s High Street are staging a beach clean on Sunday, August 20.

Mark Reynolds, owner of Revolution, said: “I've done beach clean ups for the past seven years, twice a year. This time since Tyra [Reekie] and I both own our own separate barbers shops, we're going to do a collaboration with all of our clients just try to get more people to attend.

The aim this year is to get Kirkcaldy’s children involved in the event, and that, Mark said, will hopefully have a lasting impact on how they approach litter.

He explained: “I've got a normal crew of about 50 who always show up. We're trying to get kids more involved to try to get them to look after the ocean, so later on in life, they get to be like ‘when I was a kid I used to do this beach clean up’”.

Mark, who recently opened a barber shop in Bread Street in Edinburgh, is hoping he can soon extend his cleaning efforts further down the east coast. For now though, he is happy to work on the Fife side.

He said: “We go from East Wemyss to West Wemyss then Dysart to Kirkcaldy then Kinghorn. That’s as far as we get, but that’s a big span. The crew is usually 50 but sometimes it’s 200”.

With the beach clean now in its seventh year, Mark said that he has seen a difference. Five years ago, the group bagged up, what he describes as, a car-sized bag of wet wipes. Mark said: “It was absolutely disgusting, but we got it done.”

Those taking part will be served refreshments afterwards, courtesy of fellow Merchants’ Quarter business, Kangus Coffee, and there will be live music at Power Barbershop.

If you want to take part, can contact either Power Barbershop or Revolution Barbershop. The clean up group will meet at 11.00am at East Wemyss beach.