The team here at Final Straw Foundation are constantly overwhelmed by the efforts of young people to protect our precious environment. None more so than our very own Youth Ambassador, Billie. At just 11 years old, Billie has an enormously wide range of awards and achievements under her belt. 

After receiving a National Geographic magazine as a gift in 2021, Billie was inspired to attend her first Final Straw Foundation beach clean, and hasn’t looked back since. She continues to inspire us as her passion for the environment and achievements grow each year. 

Last weekend, Billie hosted her annual beach clean with us. After three successive years, Billie has managed to encourage 263 volunteers to join her New Year litter pick, clearing a whopping 1226 Kg of rubbish from Eastney Beach that was littering our beautiful coastline. This litter could have otherwise caused immense damage to wildlife. We are so grateful to Billie, and every one of the volunteers who have helped out. The efforts of Billie and her fabulous team of volunteers have not gone unnoticed, and crews from both the BBC and Sky were in attendance to capture the event, hopefully motivating more people to get out and clean up their local area. 

Along with beach cleans, Billie has been a key speaker at our Youth Eco Conference. She confidently opened the conference of a hundred students from 8 surrounding schools, in her home city of Portsmouth, empowering them to care for the world around them. Billie has also recently been petitioning to ban unnecessary plastic packing on vegetables. She has been in contact with her local MP and launched a petition that you can sign here, as well as featuring in local news to speak on the issue. 

Billie’s inspirational drive for change has been deservedly recognised with a number of awards. In 2023, she was awarded the BBC Make a Difference Award, and Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award for her fantastic work. She has also been named as a Community Hero by her local MP, Penny Mordaunt. 

We are extremely proud of Billie and all she has achieved, and so excited to see where her eco journey will take her in the future. She reminds us that the next generation brings hope for all of us with their care and consideration for the planet.