I was born and brought up in Cleethorpes close to the beach and spent a lot of time walking and playing there with my family and pet dogs. As an adult I moved away from Cleethorpes for several years but whenever I returned the beach was my first port of call. Over the years on these visits I would often pick up interesting pieces of driftwood which, not knowing quite what to do with them, would be scattered about the garden. Three years ago I returned to Cleethorpes. I found I was no longer enjoying the bright lights of city life and missed the coast and countryside of Lincolnshire. I now began collecting more and more bits of driftwood but still with no discernable idea of what to do with it, only that I knew the fascinating shapes and textures could make something really interesting. After a while I decided to set up a workshop in the garden shed and see what I could make…That was in 2006 and from that inquisitive start…drift ashore has emerged. I am part of Alford Craft Market and a member of The Country Crafts Association (incorporating The Guild of Lincolnshire Craftsmen).

 

 

CLEETHORPES BEACH

 

Cleethorpes is located on the north east coast of England between Hull to the north and Skegness to the south. Its coast forms part of the Humber Estuary which is a busy shipping route and as such a lot of wood, which was possibly once part of the ship’s cargo support, now finds itself washed up on the shore. As part of an estuary Cleethorpes has no great waves to speak of, but the strong North Sea winds buffet the waves and wood beating the driftwood into interesting shapes and unusual textures. The beach is made up of large areas of sand, salt marsh, sand dunes and mud flats. The estuary is one of the top five in the UK for birds with at least 175,000 staying in the winter months*. This variety of habitats allows for the driftwood to stay put on the beach once it has drifted ashore. Whether laying solitary on the bleak deserted mud flat or nestled comfortably within a sand dune, driftwood is a part of Cleethorpes and a piece of Cleethorpes which can be yours to own.

*source RSPB

 

 

OUR ETHOS

At drift ashore I believe in being as environmentally sound as possible. This belief is strengthened by the fact that the source material itself has been reclaimed and recycled. Whilst out collecting wood I try to pick up as much plastic rubbish as possible and re-use what I can in my products; what I can't re-use I display together with information on the danger of plastic litter to marine wildlife. All of the packaging is environmentally friendly from biodegradable bubble wrap and paper bags to re-using old boxes for shipping. In the shop I use as little plastic as possible instead I use driftwood, for example the door sign and leaflet holders are both made from driftwood.

 

 

CONSERVATION AT DRIFT ASHORE

Conservation and wildlife are an important part of life at drift ashore. Spending so much of my time on the beach means I deeply appreciate the wildlife I come in to contact with, from the many different wading birds to the tiny sand hoppers often found under wood. I try not to disturb the wildlife I come across and in the winter I volunteer as a Seal Warden at the local Grey Seal Colony at Donna Nook.

A common sight on Cleethorpes beach years ago were ‘Mermaid’s Purses’. These are the eggcases of skates and rays which use to wash up in large numbers. In recent years they have become an increasingly rare sight around the UK and in response The Shark Trust launched a campaign to record the number of eggcases found. ‘The Great Eggcase Hunt’ encourages people to look for any eggcases on their beach, identify them and inform the Shark Trust. In the past two years I have found seven eggcases (previously no eggcases had been found on the north east coast). As a result I try to encourage my customers to go eggcase hunting themselves and help The Shark Trust conserve these remarkable creatures.

In the drift ashore shop there are leaflets promoting local conservation groups and The Shark Trust.