Project Dates: 30.03.25 to 30.03.26

A third year of core funding for this exemplary grassroots organisation, Earth Action North Devon (formerly Plastic Free North Devon), a local charity on a mission to protect and improve our environment through community action.

Through education, events, campaigns, and networks, they inspire reconnection with nature and drive sustainable behaviour change – accelerating environmental action across North Devon and fostering a healthier relationship between people and the natural world.

This year’s funding will enable EAND to continue to develop and evolve its impact via:

• Community Cleans: Hosting multiple community clean series, supporting and sharing other local clean ups, and running two mass clean ups – feeding data into national/international campaigns and databases.
• Fundraising: Recruitment of a new community fundraiser to maximise income potential from campaigns and events and further build EAND’s profile locally and and further afield.
• Community Engagement: Developing community outreach using the ‘Lets talk Climate’ model to help staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters have meaningful conversations about climate change in their community and private lives. Also continuation of Repair Cafe network and other popular sustainability groups and events.
• Education: Developing their education and outreach by pilotting an Adult Ocean Explorer programme and trialling ‘Parenting for the Future’ workshops to engage and inform the local community.
• Tourist Outreach: Continuing the Visitor Campaign to expand its reach and effectiveness.

 

Find out more about EAND’s latest campaigns and impressive impact here.

Image credits Earth Action North Devon.

IMPACT SUMMARY OCTOBER 2025

Project Activities: 

• Since July 438 volunteers participated in 18 events, clearing 790 kg of marine waste & registering over 20 shark egg cases.
• Hosted the annual September Tarka Trail & Estuary Clean Up for World Clean Up Day with 11 local businesses, 19 different organisations all working together along the Tarka Trail from Chivenor to Torrington. 133 volunteers collected 435kg’s of waste during that single event.
• Croyde Ocean Triathlon approximately raised around £26,646 (exceeding the £25000 target) for the charity and local partners.
• 70k views across posts in instagram, 52% of our audience is ‘new followers’ and have gained 197 new followers. All increased since the last quarter.
• Networked and liaised with local community groups, organisations and social prescribers to successfully recruit for our Adult OEA pilot. The 1st session took place on 14th October.
• Repair Cafes continue to be an engaging hub for volunteers to share their skills and help fix items that might otherwise go to waste.

 

Project Impact: 

• DEF’s support has enabled the employment of seven part-time staff, and helped support the growing volunteer base. 457 volunteers have contributed 1002 hours since April 1st, helping to ensure we deliver our core activities as well as exploring new ones.
• Continue to have conversations with Pesticide Free Devon and are working on a plan to roll out the most appropriate campaign for the North Devon region.
• Work collaboratively at short notice with local partners to put on the 1st ‘Surf and Conservation’ film festival in Croyde reaching over 350 people by intertwining environmental messaging into mainstream cultural activities and have agreed to repeat and build on the event for 2026.
• The grant has enabled the charity to go above and beyond the original Ocean Explorer project funding deliverables and prepare and participate in an exhibition at the Barnstaple museum solely dedicated to our Ocean Explorer education programme called ‘Explorers create’ .