by Rebecca Hannant
Volunteers from a Muslim community in Bradford have teamed up with the Marine Conservation Society for a beach clean in Hornsea.
The Dawoodi Bohras are Muslims hailing mainly from East Africa and the Indian subcontinent. They have called Bradford home since the 1970s and the community has expanded over the generations. Like Bohras all over the world, they strive to play productive roles in all societies in which they live.
On Sunday, July 2, the Dawoodi Bohras travelled to the resort to carry out a beach clean to help protect the environment.
Over the course of the day the group collected 10kg of litter, including a sizeable quantity of microplastics large enough to see with the naked eye.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles measuring less than 5mm in size that have a detrimental impact on the natural environment, as well as wildlife and human health. They are often used in personal care products such as toothpaste and shower gel, or industrial abrasives used for sandblasting or polishing, and can also form through the degradation of larger plastics, such as plastic bags or tyres.
Kate Whitton-Brown, community engagement manager at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “What a brilliant day – thank you so much to everyone for all your beach cleaning efforts. We collected 10 kilos of litter from Hornsea beach – fantastic!
“I am looking forward to working with you all again soon.”
Najmuddin Master, a representative of the Dawoodi Bohras, said:“The Dawoodi Bohras of Bradford regularly undertake clean-ups of parks and rivers as part of Project Rise, our global initiative to support vulnerable members of society and help protect and enhance the natural environment.
“We are excited to be partnering with the Marine Conservation Society and supporting their important work here in Yorkshire.
“Microplastics are difficult to see. They often end up in water bodies, including oceans and freshwater systems, where they can be ingested by marine organisms and accumulate in the food chain, causing a variety of health problems.
“It is essential that we all play our part in reducing our use of microplastics as much as we can.”
