MORE than a dozen UK Docks’ staff broke out the bin bags and grabbed their grabby sticks for a beach clean at the company’s River Drive headquarters in South Shields.
The beach clean was the first of a series planned to help one of the town’s main attractions remain pristine and clean for visitors over the summer.
Managing director, Jonathan Wilson, said: “We’ve planned to do this for some time and now that we’ve got the first under our belt, we’re up and running.
“As a marine engineering firm, the river and the sea are obviously hugely important to us but we also appreciate how lucky we are to be in a particularly attractive part of the world with the South Shields’ coastline and its beautiful beaches.
“It’s a great place for our team to work.
“We want to keep it that way and the beach clean is just one of a number of small ways we’ve decided we can help out.”
The clean was led by engineering support manager Mike Spooner and organised by office manager, Emma Bryson.
The team spent an afternoon on the beaches and car park around the Littlehaven beach and thoroughly cleaned around the Conversation Place statues - known locally as the Weebles.
Mike said: “It was great to get out in the fresh air and do something positive for the local environment.
“While the area does not appear to have a massive amount of litter at first glance, once you start looking and picking you see more and more.
“In particular we found many plastic items, which would otherwise stay in the environment for a very long time.
“As well as the impact on the natural environment, I feel litter has a large adverse effect on the look and feel of an area for visitors and locals alike.
“By doing this litter pick we’ve made a small difference to the environment, but it also improved our own physical and mental well-being and hopefully might inspire other companies locally to do the same”.
UK Docks was founded in South Shields in 1992 by Harry Wilson, who was made an MBE in the King’s most recent Birthday Honours List.
From that single slipway has grown a company of national and international significance, now run by Harry’s sons Jonathan, Gary and Chris.
As well as South Shields, it runs operations in dockyards on Teesside, as well as boatyards on the south coast at Gosport in Portsmouth and Cremyll.
Last year it signed a £250 million contract to service and maintain the Royal Navy’s five Batch 2 vessels worldwide - HMS’s Tamar, Trent, Forth, Medway and Spey - and continues to service the navy’s only icebreaker, HMS Protector.
Further expansion is planned but the company takes its social responsibilities seriously at all its bases.
A further litter pick this summer is due to take place with South Shields Sea Cadets joining UK Docks staff.
UK Docks' founder Harry Wilson. recently made an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list, is the long-serving president of South Shields cadets.