Boots on, bags ready and getting stuck in to NI's 'staggering' marine rubbish

Richard Connor, director of Sea2it, is a Make a Difference finalist

Fridge freezers, sofas, plastic bags and bottles - these are just some of the items volunteers have found in waterways around the beauty spots of the north coast.

Last year, not-for-profit firm Sea2it, removed "a staggering amount" of plastic - more than seven tonnes in total.

Now, its director Richard Connor is a finalist in the BBC's Make A Difference Awards 2025, a nomination that he said has left him "shocked but humbled".

The group was set up following the pandemic as he and others were frustrated with the area being "teeming" with plastics that needed to be removed.

"Physically, if nobody else is going to do it, we are going to have to do it," he said.

The group, a community interest company which is designed to benefit the community rather than generate a profit, requires "incredibly hands-on" work from volunteers who remove litter along the shores of the north coast, Richard said.

Last year the group collected more than seven tonnes of plastic waste from waterways along the north coast

"It's wellington boots, black bags, bin liners, litter pickers in your hand. right into getting into a wetsuit, getting on to a boat and swimming into a bay."

While the area in which they work is "the beautiful Causeway coast", the landscape is "blighted by rubbish and plastic bags" and the problem is getting "worse and worse and worse".

However, the easiest part of the job, he said, is getting people to help out.

"They will turn up on a cold, miserable January morning to the river bank when everybody else is in their bed."

Over the years they've had around 550 different volunteers who have helped out ,ranging in age from nine to 89.

"We come from a very broad church."

Sea2it says plastic pollution is a "huge issue" on the River Bann

Richard was selected as one of four finalists in the Green award, along with:

• Donna Rainey, a retired paediatric nurse and environmental volunteer focused on pollinator conservation - she created a five-acre wildflower meadow, developed a hospital wildflower site and leads the Don't Mow, Let it Grow campaign

• Aimee Mallon, junior head girl at St Cecilia's College in Londonderry - she restored a school greenhouse, and developed projects involving gardening, seed swapping and environmental education to create a nurturing, inclusive space

• Diana McChesney, a community climate advocate based in County Fermanagh - she coordinates local litter-picking, rescues wildlife, redistributes surplus food and runs the Fermanagh Freecycle group to reduce waste

What is Make a Difference?

Make a Difference is a BBC initiative seeking to recognise and celebrate members of the public who make life better for others where they live.

Since February, BBC teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been asking audiences to nominate the unsung heroes in their local communities who do amazing things.

Finalists have been selected by a panel of judges in each of the eight categories ahead of the Northern Ireland final in September.

The categories are:

• The Volunteer Awards

• The Young Hero Award

• The Great Neighbour Award

• The Active Award

• The Animal Award

• The Green Award

• The Fundraiser Award

• The Community Group Award

Overall winners from each category will be announced live on BBC Radio Ulster's Vinny and Cate show on Friday 26 September.