Asprochorti Beach (Ασπροχόρτι) is a beautiful, quiet beach on the island of Samos, Greece.

When my husband and I visited recently, we were shocked by its condition. Plastic bottles, shoes, clothing, ropes, tyres and other rubbish have accumulated along the shoreline.

The problem is even bigger than it first appears. Along much of the beach there is a thick bank of washed-up seaweed and marine vegetation, reaching around half a metre in places, with rubbish trapped inside and underneath it.

We stood there looking at the clear water and beautiful surroundings and kept thinking the same thing:

Someone has to start. So we decided that we will.

We don’t have an organisation or charity behind us. We are simply a husband and wife who love Samos and want to do something positive for this neglected beach.

Our initial goal is £1,200 to help us buy protective gloves, heavy-duty bags, grabbers, rakes, shovels and other equipment, as well as cover transport and proper disposal of the waste we collect.

Our priority is to remove as much human-made rubbish as possible and carefully work through the material along the shoreline while respecting the natural environment.

We may not be able to restore every part of it immediately, but our mission is simple: to make Asprochorti look healthy, cared for and beautiful again.

We will document the clean-up with before, during and after photographs and keep everyone updated on our progress and how the funds are used.

If we are fortunate enough to receive more support than we need, or if any funds remain once the clean-up is complete, the remaining money will either be used to continue caring for Asprochorti and the surrounding coastline, or donated to a reputable marine or environmental charity. We will be fully transparent about where it goes.

Every donation, no matter how small, helps us take another step forward. And if you can’t donate, simply sharing the fundraiser can help enormously.

Thank you for helping us give Asprochorti (Ασπροχόρτι) a second chance.

Alex & Antonia