National Lottery: Millionaires search for plastic waste on Shoreham Beach as part of pledge to make a difference

Big money winners from the National Lottery gathered on Shoreham Beach to search for tiny pieces of plastic waste as part of their pledge to make a difference.
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A team from across the south, including a £1million winner from Shoreham, came to search for nurdles, colourful pea-sized plastic waste which can be devastating to marine animals.

Motivated by the work of The 2 Minute Foundation to make a difference through simple acts, the band of millionaires volunteered to spend a morning scouring Shoreham Beach and in the process collected litter including plastic water bottles, picnic debris, ocean waste and old ropes.

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Keen Shoreham sailor Lizbet Ramus, who scooped £1million in the Christmas Eve draw in 2019, was born and bred in Shoreham. She said she has seen first hand the increase in litter on the coastline and in the ocean.

Lottery winners gather at Shoreham Beach for a beach clean. Picture: Steve Robards SR2108171Lottery winners gather at Shoreham Beach for a beach clean. Picture: Steve Robards SR2108171
Lottery winners gather at Shoreham Beach for a beach clean. Picture: Steve Robards SR2108171

Lizbet said: “It’s something really close to my heart. My family has been involved in the local sailing community and sailing this stretch of coast for decades, and we have always been proud to call Shoreham home but the increased rubbish on the beaches and out to sea is truly alarming.

“What I was less aware of before was the plastic we don’t see so easily, the tiny little nurdles of plastic. From now on, I’ll pick up the big stuff but I’ll also be beach combing for the little pieces, too.

“It is always great to be able to give something back and we’re all delighted to work with The 2 Minute Foundation on this latest project. It’s rewarding to know that a few hours on the beach like this will have a difference, no matter how small, and I hope it will encourage others to ensure our beaches are kept clean so everyone can enjoy them to their full potential.”

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Other £1million winners taking part were Portsmouth trio Sharon Hall, Patrick and Paula Morling, and Kevin Francis, Southampton winners Geoff and Judith Coombes, and Ruth and Peter Doyle from Wiltshire.

They worked with the foundation, which received £19,410 of National Lottery funding to support its aim to educate people about the coastline, the creatures that live there and what can be done to protect it.

Claire Giner, campaign co-ordinator, said: “The 2 Minute Foundation is a registered charity which is devoted to cleaning up our planet two minutes at a time. We believe that simple, achievable acts can add up to make a great difference.

“This gang of winners have proved just that. In the time we have been here they have collected all manner of other small pieces of plastic, and each one collected and recycled is one less causing damage to marine life.

“It’s amazing what can be achieved when we just take two minutes, or even two hours, to help our environment, and you don’t need to be a millionaire to do that.”