Dave is one of five volunteers receiving a Points of Light award to mark World Oceans Day on Friday 8 June, recognising their work to support ocean conservation. Dave will receive his award on this day from Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire.
In a personal letter to Dave, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“The work of your voluntary group of divers is making an important contribution to marine conservation efforts on Pembrokeshire’s protected coasts. By conducting hundreds of underwater clean-ups, you have shown remarkable dedication to reducing the damaging impact that lost and discarded fishing equipment is having on thousands of marine animals.”
Dave said:
“It’s great to see the profile of marine pollution being raised as it’s criminal to see the waste in our seas: I am sure people would be up in arms if it was in their local park or favourite beauty spot, and hopefully would want to do something about it. That’s why I set up ‘Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners’ in 2005. With this being the ‘Year of the Sea’ we need to protect her as much as possible by keeping her healthy and free from our waste. The rubbish over the years that we have found in the sea ranges massively from household objects (microwaves, washing machine parts) to a car once dumped off a harbour wall. Hopefully this will be a good year and we won’t find so much rubbish.”
For more info https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/neptunes-army-rubbish-cleaners/