Killiney Beach Clean-Up & Cuppa for Climate

We love helping our supporters take Cuppa for Climate into their workplaces to inspire climate action among their teammates and to raise funds together to support our work and help the planet. Louise O’Brien and Rita Apolinaro, who both work at Vodafone Ireland, recently organised a Cuppa for Climate for their colleagues and teamed it up with a beach clean-up as a way to get out in nature and have some fun while doing something positive for our planet.

Both Louise and Rita are involved with Vodafone’s Green Connect Group, a new sustainability group that Rita initiated for staff to have regular climate conversations. Together with their colleagues, Louise and Rita are trying to become more environmentally conscious and take necessary climate action as a collective unit. Green Connects currently has 30 dedicated members, many of whom are relatively new to the climate movement and wish to learn more. The group hosts weekly brainstorming sessions and presents ideas to make steps towards a greener and more sustainable business model.

Read below Louise’s account of hosting their event

"With support from Killiney Community Council, we initially decided to organise a Beach Clean on Killiney beach as our first event as a group. We were all deeply excited by the prospect of raising awareness, cleaning our community, and having some fun! However, for us to make a real impact, we felt that partnering with a group that aligned with our core goals and values was paramount. With this in mind, we made the decision to contact Friends of the Earth and combine the event with a Cuppa for Climate, and create a fundraiser for them. Friends of the Earth stood out to us as their mission really spoke to us as a group. We wanted to learn more, and we were keen to gain as much insight as possible to help us grow and flourish. 

We got in touch with Ruth Jedidja Stael, Friends of the Earth Supporter Care and Fundraising Officer, and told Ruth Jedidja about our plans. Ruth Jedidja kindly offered to attend our beach clean to facilitate a climate conversation. Ruth Jedidja also helped us set up our online fundraiser on iDonate. We knew this day was shaping up to have the impact we wanted!”

On the 18th of July 2024, we hosted our Beach Clean in Killiney. With over 30 volunteers, we were thrilled with the turn-out and overall enthusiasm of the group. The atmosphere on the day was one of pure excitement. Once everyone arrived at the Killiney Dart Station at 1pm, Ruth introduced herself and told us more about Friends of the Earth. We had the opportunity to brainstorm ideas for future Green Connect events, thanks to the expertise and creativity of Ruth! 

We separated ourselves into groups and got moving! We took it upon ourselves to clean around the Dart Station as well as the beach shelters. At 3pm, we reconvened and discussed our individual experiences of the day. We had the opportunity to brainstorm ideas for future Green Connect events, and think about positive climate action groups.

After the beach cleanup, we gathered in small groups for Cuppa for Climate discussions. We delved into important environmental questions, such as, "On a scale of 1 to 10, how worried are you about the climate crisis?" (I’m at 1000!) One question that particularly caught my attention was, "Share some examples from the climate movement in Ireland and globally that inspire you and give you hope." Our colleague Niamh shared that Cork University recently banned single-use plastic cups in the blink of an eye, a move that was both impressive and inspiring! 

One of our summer interns said that their hunger for knowledge around sustainability has increased dramatically and they’ve come away from the experience with a newfound appreciation for the work of climate activists.

As a friend and a colleague, I want to congratulate Rita on her incredible work. She is the sole reason for our renewed focus on climate action, sustainability, and the world around us. I’m so deeply proud of everything she’s accomplished, and I am so grateful to have met her and all my friends from the Graduate Programme. To meet so many like-minded individuals is a privilege that I do not take for granted. Thank you to Vodafone and to Friends of the Earth for making this happen! I can’t wait to see what we achieve next!” 

The Green Connect group is for everyone who cares about sustainability and has felt at least a bit of climate anxiety recently. Our latest event aimed to raise sustainability awareness among our colleagues, to start having these climate conversations and planning positive actions.  We were delighted to have the lovely Ruth Jedidja from Friends of the Earth join us. Ruth Jedidja and Rita met at a Friends of the Earth event back in December, and I knew we had to create something great together. Her presence and dedication were truly inspiring, and we are incredibly grateful for her support and the fantastic work of Friends of the Earth. (I’m a big fan of Friends of the Earth, so I was thrilled to have them involved.) 

I’m deeply moved by everyone who joined us on the day and all those who helped behind the scenes. A quote that perfectly summarises the day: "Remember, we don't need extraordinary circumstances to act; ordinary situations provide plenty of opportunities to do good." 

Thank you so much to Louise and Rita for organising a fantastic Cuppa for Climate and for raising funds among their work colleagues to support our work!

If you’ve been inspired by this event and would like to host a Cuppa for Climate in your community or workplace, reach out to Ruth Jedidja to find out more. We’d love to help you with your Cuppa!