Members of volunteer beach-cleaning charity Beach Buddies, among them founder Bill Dale BEM, were guests at a reception at the town hall hosted by Her Worship the Mayor, Councillor Debbie Pitts JP and the Mayoress, Mrs Linda Curphey.

The Mayor and Mayoress with Beach Buddies' founder Bill Dale, front row left, and volunteers together with Councillors Ritchie McNicholl, extreme left and Stephen Pitts, front row right 

Formed in 2006 the charity now has around 7,500 volunteers. Its achievements have been recognised in the United States with an invitation for Mr Dale to address environment students at Youngstown State University, Ohio in October this year.

The Mayor and Mayoress are pictured above with Beach Buddies' founder Bill Dale. Back row, left to right: Councillor Stephen Pitts, Beach Buddies volunteers Colin Kermode, Pam Kermode, Barbara Pimm-Smith, Gill Coulson, Sue Woolard, Glen Kinrade, chairman Brian Pimm-Smith, Wyn Hughes and Councillor Ritchie McNicholl. 

Mr Dale said: 'It was a privilege to be invited to the Mayor's parlour and view the Council chamber and for our work to be recognised by the Mayor, who was very interested in supporting us in the future. We are talking over some ideas we hope to announce shortly.'