Laura Hillis volunteers to maintain a stretch of Cranfield and Greencastle beaches from litter
Laura Hillis who lives close to Rostervor and Greencastle beaches has adopted the beach areas as part of Live Here Love Here’s Adopt A Spot project.
The initiative is a Northern Ireland wide community-based volunteers programme and currently has 15 ambassadors caring for different spots on beaches along the NI coastline.
The programme focuses on promoting civic pride and encourages individuals, families, community groups, youth groups, schools, businesses and sporting associations to help foster a healthier, greener and cleaner Northern Ireland.
It aims to reduce through litter, making better use of unused spaces and increasing biodiversity.
Like Laura, people can choose to adopt and care for a neglected area of their choice which is in need of some TLC.
Laura has been volunteering with Live Here Love Here for two years now and joined the Adopt A Spot Ambassadors Programme just over a year ago.
Since first adopting the Cranfield and Greencastle beach areas, Laura has helped to improve the local area in many ways for the whole community to enjoy.
She has set up a community group called Too Much Trash NI that brings people together to clean up the local beaches and raise awareness of how important it is to take care their hometowns.
“I chose to adopt these areas as Cranfield is very much a special place to me, said Laura.
“We have had a caravan there for over 30 years and spent a lot of quality family time here.
“Greencastle is my favourite sunset spot in all of Northern Ireland, so I want to ensure that many others can also continue to make memories in these places like I have.
“I spend much of my time in the outdoors so using this time to help the local environment and nature gives me a great sense of accomplishment.
“I enjoy meeting new like-minded people and getting families from the local area to get involved in our arranged clean ups with Too Much Trash NI.
“This is a great opportunity to raise awareness of how important it is to take care of where we all live and love.
“I am very proud of myself and everyone that joins my group to spend their free time to help.
“Every single piece of litter picked, no matter how small, improves the area for everyone else to enjoy”.
Since adopting the coastal areas, Laura has also taken on the task of looking after the rural roads within the County Down area of Cranfield and Greencastle.
Fern Keeney, Adopt A Spot Officer at Live Here Love Here said: “Laura is a fantastic addition to our team of Ambassadors.
“Laura’s enthusiasm and dedication to the programme is admirable.
“it is so encouraging to see the fantastic work that Laura and the local community are doing within the Cranfield and Greencastle beach areas and beyond.
“This is a great example of how Adopt A Spot Ambassadors promote positive environmental action by empowering others to get involved and take greater responsibility for the local environment.
“Laura plays an important role in raising awareness about the work of Live Here Love Here and improving local communities for the better.”
The Adopt A Spot project is open to everyone across Northern Ireland, and it is advised to choose a spot that is safe, accessible and within a reasonable distance from your home.
For more information on Adopt A Spot and the Ambassadors Programme, visit:
www.liveherelovehere.org/adoptaspot
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About Live Here Love Here
Live Here Love Here is a national campaign aimed at promoting civic pride and a community can-do attitude by improving environmental quality in Northern Ireland.
Their aim is to see cleaner streets, less dog fouling and graffiti, more biodiversity and better use of unused spaces.
Live Here Love Here, are passionate about creating a healthier and greener Northern Ireland which not only affects our physical health but comes with overwhelming social benefits.
Live Here Love Here is an inspiring partnership between a number of government and local government bodies.
These include DFAERA; NIHE, the councils in NI including Newry Mourne and Down District Council, and the NIHE all working alongside Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.
Visit: www.liveherelovehere.org
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About Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful
Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful is a charity working towards the vision of a sustainable Northern Ireland.
It runs environmental education programmes and awareness raising campaigns, increasing volunteering opportunities and reporting on local environmental quality.
Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful delivers many international awards.
These awards include the Blue Flag for Beaches and Marinas and Green Flag Award for Parks and Open Spaces to improve the local quality of our environment and strive for environmental excellence.
Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful are national coordinators for Eco-Schools in Northern Ireland, the world’s largest international environmental education programme.
And they aims to promote Climate Action, Biodiversity Recovery and Pollutions Solutions to change behaviours and practices so everyone can enjoy a beautiful, resilient, and healthy environment.
