Pat Smith – also known as Action Nan – is the founder of Final Straw Cornwall and has been an active litter-picker since 2017 when she watched the film ‘A Plastic Ocean’ by Jo Ruxton.
When she saw the amount of rubbish that had entered our oceans during her lifetime, contaminating the water and endangering marine life she felt that she had to try and do something about it. She became a #LitterHeroes Ambassador in 2019.
“I set up three groups in my area,” Pat told us, referencing St Austell Tidy Up team, Megavissey Clean Team, and Charleston Chums.
“We live close to the sea, so any litter dropped is whisked down drains into the sea very quickly. It was quite easy to motivate others here who are generally very proud of where they live.”
For Pat, her most rewarding experience since she began litter-picking has been the good friends she has made as a result.
She says: “The reward for me is the loyalty and friendliness of my volunteers who give up their valuable time because they care.”
As well as taking action on the ground, Pat’s volunteering work has received plenty of media attention. The media exposure benefits the groups, making them feel more valued – and it brings new members on board.
She told us: “I’ve always got lots to say and I’m a good talker!
“They call me ‘One Take Smith’ as they get interviews done in record time.”
Pat says that her past career as a teacher helps when talking to the press, explaining: “It was my job to stand up in front of an audience and speak!"
Stay positive
So, what advice would Pat share with her fellow litter-pickers?
“Stay positive.”
She recognises that can sometimes be difficult, adding: “It is so demoralising to spend hours clearing up rubbish to find that a month later it is just as bad.
“When I see footage of birds feeding chicks pieces of plastic or coral reefs bleached white, turtles, dolphins [...] entangled in rope and net I feel that every single piece of litter I pick up may save one of those creatures from harm. That’s what keeps me going.
"You are making a difference, every one of you. The influence you have will ripple out to others, often unknown to you. You are making a difference, a change for good.”
At Keep Britain Tidy, we want to thank Pat Smith and her volunteer teams for the difference they are making to their local environment and for protecting our oceans from plastic.
Litter Heroes Programme Manager Mollie Clay said “Pat is young at heart, full of passion for protecting the environment and is extremely proactive in her local community. She certainly is a force to be reckoned with and a friend to many Litter Heroes Ambassadors.”