As ideas go this one is rubbish for all the right reasons.

NatWest staff from across the UK will be visiting their local beaches and waterways armed with recycling bags throughout the first week of July to collect litter and rubbish destined for the world’s oceans.

The bank’s army of litter pickers will be visiting over 20 beaches and waterways including Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire.

It has partnered with Sea Life Aquariums’ global charity, Sea Life Trust to support the annual Global Beach Clean, an event which brings together thousands of volunteers to take part in organised beach clean-ups globally. In 2019 more than 40 clean-up events were staged across the globe resulting in nearly two tonnes of litter destined for the sea being collected.

Oceans are important for regulating the earth’s climate and are the largest storers of carbon. Yet each year an estimated 26 million tonnes of plastic pollution end up in the sea where it is responsible for harming and killing millions of marine creatures and damaging vital underwater ecosystems.

NatWest has set itself the goal of becoming the country’s leading bank challenging climate change, and as part of this commitment is aiming to be carbon positive with its own operations by 2025. It also wants to at least half the climate impact of its financing by 2030 and through products like its green mortgages and carbon tracking tools being trialled on its mobile banking app, is also helping customers become greener too.

NatWest colleagues are using volunteer days, which the bank gives to staff to support local communities, to take part in the beach cleans. Many have organised their own events, while some are joining the Sea Life Trust official litter picks at Sea Life sites throughout the UK including in Blackpool, Brighton and Scarborough.

Andrew Moore, Regional Director, NatWest Premier Banking, is one the bank’s Beach Clean Challenge organising team. He said: “We’re really excited about doing our bit to help clean-up beaches throughout the UK, and removing the litter and rubbish that has such a negative impact on our oceans and the marine life in them.

“The response from our colleagues has been huge and that has been truly inspiring. Climate change is such an important issue for us as a bank and our colleagues are setting a positive example by taking the lead in this way. We’re hoping we can make a real difference.”

Ali Corbett, speaking on behalf of the Sea Life Trust adds: “Most of the littered plastic waste worldwide ultimately ends up at sea. The litter washing up on our local shores is not just unpleasant to look at; it also harms and kills our precious wildlife.

“Our Global Beach Clean provides a simple and effective way in which everybody can help to turn the tide on litter, and we’re thrilled so many Natwest colleagues are joining us this year.”

If you want to support the Sea Life TRUST Global Beach Clean or would like to know more about the work the charity does, click here.