ECCH Change Makers’ Beach Clean Ups

Staff from East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH) weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty in a bid to clean up some of their favourite local beaches.

Teams took part in two litter picks at North Denes Beach in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Beach after finishing a day’s work at the social enterprise which provides NHS community health services across Norfolk and Waveney.

As a community interest company, ECCH aims to give added value to the communities it serves, over and above the healthcare services it provides. All staff are invited to become Change Makers and join in activities that will make a difference locally.

The two hour long litter picks were organised as part of a new Environmental Management System which aims to reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint and make staff more environmentally aware.

ECCH’s Deputy Director of Quality Ali Jennings said: “People come to work for ECCH, not just because it’s known for providing quality healthcare but because it’s a business that cares – for its staff and for the areas where we all work and live. As staff we buy into that ethos and we’re always looking for ways to give something back. That led to the idea for a series of ‘clean ups’ starting with North Denes, then Lowestoft beach and the grassland around Sparrow’s Nest.

“It was hard work and we were pretty horrified at the amount of litter strewn about, with newts and snails making their homes in discarded rubbish, but we were really pleased with how much we managed to remove and we’re planning to do more.”

Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Waveney Norse provided equipment for the litter pickers to use. The Change Makers are now planning more rubbish collections in the future.