Clean Planet UK accesses Sofia Community Construction Fund to step up activity in north east waters

Registered charity, Clean Planet UK has been awarded a grant of £2,356 from the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm community benefits fund to help expand vital work in removing lost and discarded fishing gear from the sea. The funding will be used to purchase essential equipment, including an underwater drone, safety gear and first aid kits, ensuring volunteers can work more efficiently and safely.

Lost fishing gear, known as ghost gear, is a major issue along UK coastlines. Fishermen do not intentionally lose their equipment, but storms and rough conditions often cause it to be swept away. Once lost, it continues to trap marine life and create hazards for both wildlife and people. When ghost gear washes up on the beaches it also has a negative impact on tourism.

Clean Planet UK is the only organisation tackling this problem along the Tees Valley coast. Founded in 2021 by Stephen Smith, the initiative began as a personal mission to clean up South Gare. Since then, it has grown into a fully registered charity, supported by dedicated volunteers. Last year alone, the group recovered 92 lost lobster pots and over 1,705kg of ghost gear from the waters between Hartlepool and Saltburn. 

With the help of the Sofia Construction Community Fund, Clean Planet UK will now be able to work more effectively. "The funding will make a huge difference to our work," said Stephen Smith, founder of Clean Planet UK. "The underwater drone will help us pinpoint ghost gear more efficiently without putting divers at risk, meaning we only have to enter the water when necessary. The new safety equipment will make it possible for more volunteers to join the operation, increasing the amount of ghost gear they can retrieve and recycle. Every piece of lost fishing gear we remove helps protect marine life and makes our coastal waters safer and more enjoyable for everyone."

Clean Planet UK works closely with local fishermen, ensuring that any recovered equipment still in good condition is returned for reuse. This helps the environment and also supports the livelihoods of those who depend on the sea. 

Founder Stephen Smith hopes to expand the charity’s impact even further with plans to secure storage space and explore new ways to repurpose recovered ghost gear into usable products. The organisation that relies on grants, donations and volunteers will use this latest funding towards achieving its long-term goals.

Matthew Swanwick, project director at Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, said: "Our community fund is available to support local groups and organisations that address key community challenges. Initiatives like Clean Planet UK are making a real difference to the coastal environment and are proud to support their efforts in protecting marine life and coastal communities.” 

The RWE Sofia Construction Community Fund provides financial support to organisations within the project area, helping to address key community issues. Each year, wind farm projects operated by RWE invest more than £5 million into community funds across the UK. Our approach is inclusive ensuring a wide and diverse range of projects receive support. Over the lifetime of our wind farms, RWE will invest over £100 million into local communities. 

The Sofia Wind Farm, currently under construction on Dogger Bank, 195 kilometres from the nearest point on the UK’s north east coast, will comprise 100 Siemens Gamesa 14 megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbines. Upon its commissioning in 2026, the Sofia project will have a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts , enough to power the equivalent of 1.2 million typical UK homes.