Outer Hebrides Claddach now known as
Clean Coast Outer Hebrides
Clean Coast Outer Hebrides
Clean Coast Outer Hebrides was originally set up as Claddach in 2017, by a group of people concerned about the growing issue of plastic waste, and it’s effect on the environment and more specifically the coasts of the Outer Hebrides.
Our immediate goals are to support and organise Beach Cleans around the Outer Hebrides with Schools and community organisations and to work towards achieving Surfers Against Sewage, Plastic Free Community status. In addition we are trying to address the issue of the less accessible shores; the levels of plastic waste in some areas are horrific.
We are a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation SC049307, with membership open to any person or organisation interested in supporting our aims with a specific interest in the Outer Hebrides and we have a Board of Trustees that run the charity.
This website will shortly become the blog of Janet Marshall, covering wider environmental topics. For Clean Coast Outer Hebrides see:
It is hard to ignore the fact that the shores of the Outer Hebrides are getting dirtier, more plastics, more visible and even more worrying, more invisible pollution. My original aim was to do a little fundraising in order to charter boats to reach the less accessible shores of the Isle of Lewis. However, following my postings on Facebook on Saturday 10th December 2017 detailing my concerns, the response was so fantastic, so enthusiastic and simply brimming with good ideas that I have set my sights a bit higher.
Janet Marshall, December 2017
Slideshow of original images by Cristine McAvoy
To the left is a small part of the south shore at Eilean Glas, Scalpay. There are enormous amounts of tiny pieces of plastic among the bigger bits. The north side is just as bad. This is replicated everywhere on the islands.
There are several community groups that clean the more accessible beaches already, we want to support them and help as we can. There are far more areas that haven’t been touched, yet.
Claddach pronounced cla-doch (doch to rhyme with loch) is the Scottish Gaelic for shore, beach, coast, stony shore. It can also be written “cladach”.
Header image by Lee Coleman
Header logo by Pearce O’Halloran