Larne’s Eco Rangers group keeps on growing

The numbers add to those already carrying out litter picking in Larne town and the coastal area beyond.

Abe disclosed this week that there had been a good uptake in Islandmagee – where the local Community Development Group recently flagged up the work of the Eco Rangers and encouraged people to get involved.

There are now 15 volunteers in Islandmagee, with eight apiece in Magheramorne and Ballycarry and seven in Glynn.

Gleno has five volunteers, and the combined efforts of the group in the Larne area resulted in the Coast Road being cleared of litter from Carnlough to Ballycarry.

Abe said, “That in itself was a big undertaking for the Eco Rangers, but on Saturday past we completed the last part from Glynn to Ballycarry crossroads. 45 bags were removed. The total bags from the Coast Road was almost 200 in total,” he revealed.

He said the group would welcome other volunteers in the local area and he also appealed to more people living along the coast to get involved; “Even if they committed to an hour a week it would maintain its clean status,” he said.

“There are a lot of people, not from the towns and villages, but living on the road. We came out to do it for them and we would be delighted if those residents contributed,” he added, pledging that volunteers would be equipped and helped as required.

“In other areas we are experiencing rapid recruitment and still we need more Rangers,” Abe said.

He said that no one would be turned away so long as they were committed to giving some time to the work of keeping the area tidy and free from litter.

The group, which recently formed a committee to help with the initiative and co-ordinate, says it is asking people to engage in litter picking several times a week or just whenever they have the chance; providing trailers for bags and helping encourage members are other ways in which they can assist the

work.

“Residents and visitors alike have noticed the difference from Ballycarry to Carnlough, from Islandmagee to Ballynure, and groups elsewhere intend to try the same in their own areas,” the Eco Rangers said on their Facebook page.

Want to know how Larne Eco Rangers began? Read Abe’s inspirational story here.