By Chris Evans

For most of us the thought of picking up rubbish after others is not something we really want to do. I admit when I was carrying an old chair and a scruffy abandoned leather jacket, I felt much the same way. I should have known better. The rest of the group made a joke out of it and kept us all laughing. It’s the key to the success of the Plogging in Didim group.

I’ve never been on a beach clean-up before. I will certainly go again. Everything from the welcome to the laughter was worth every second of my time and so much more. Who’d have thought picking up broken glass, plastic bottles, and a few unsavoury items could be so therapeutic?

The entire experience left me stunned and wanting to shout about the 27 bags of rubbish we collected from the rooftops. A sceptic turned convert, you might say.

The best part was seeing the different nationalities making up our group. Over half were Turkish. We also had England, Scotland, Ireland and Belgium represented. It was the true United Nations of beach cleaning. Every single person made a huge effort to come and say hello and interact. A genuine community.

The power of what this group does can only be reinforced by the support of the Belediye. Transport from central Didim to the chosen beach comes in the shape of a minibus and a driver who chips in and has a wicked sense of humour.

So where did this amazing group start? Well, 6 years ago a merry band of around 10 members led by their Swedish founder helped clean beaches and surrounding areas. It’s rather apt as the word plogging is derived from the Swedish words for jogging and litter picking. Don’t worry though, most of us aren’t capable of a jog even if there’s a free pint at the end of it!

Our very own Editor-in-Chief even videoed the very first plog. If you look on YouTube, it’s had over 100,000 views.

The concept grew rapidly. Beach cleaning has now included local schools, the University at Akbuk, the staff at the Marina, and the Belediye. At the start and end of each season, there’s also a special cleanup with the crew of the Sunshine Boat. Many others have also helped over the 6 years the plogging community has been running.

I’d seen reports of how they’d collected rubbish on various beaches, but had never given much thought to why people give up their time to pick up litter. It’s so we can all have a clean and safe place to swim, sunbathe, or write our books.

Without them, we’d be surrounded by plastic, broken glass, and so much more. Whatever the nationality, these are people who love the beauty of the area we live in and want to make sure it is preserved for everyone.

I did have an issue, however. My stray dogs have been dragging plastic out of the sea for weeks. When they were needed, they scarpered. Unsurprisingly, they turned up the moment the bags of rubbish and volunteers had left.

I can sum up my experience as seeing a community working together for the benefit of everyone. Are people still going to leave litter on beaches rather than putting it in the bin? Absolutely. Maybe they should spend a couple of hours picking up the litter. Then they’d see how even one plastic water bottle can cause so much damage. They’d also see how they can improve the environment for everyone by making very small differences to their behaviour.

From a personal standpoint, I’d like to thank everyone who helped collect rubbish on my local beach in Sagtur. I will always owe you a debt of gratitude. As will the dogs!

You can follow the Plogging In Didim Group on Facebook. Just type in the name. You’ll be given a wonderful welcome by some of the nicest people you can ever hope to meet.