Thousands of pounds of trash removed from Southampton Railway Trail

TUESDAY, MARCH 13: The Fairmont Southampton, Keep Bermuda Beautiful (KBB) and Catholic Diocese Confirmation students united this Saturday in an effort to clean and beautify the Southampton Railway Trail from Camp Hill to Church Road.  Bermuda’s largest resort, The Fairmont Southampton adopted a section of the Southampton Railway trail in 2011, committing to keep litter free an area which was once identified as a “littering and dumping hotspot.”

Hotel Manager Rita Healy said, “The Fairmont Southampton has made a commitment to maintaining and improving the community in which we work.  Our Green Team is focused on numerous initiatives that tie in with the aims and objectives of KBB and we are pleased to partner with them and the Confirmation students from the Catholic Diocese in an effort to maintain the beauty of our Bermuda.”

The Clean-up began with a continental breakfast for the volunteers provided by The Fairmont Southampton on the Terrace at the Waterlot Inn. From there the volunteers were divided into three teams; The Bushwhackers, The Pickers and the Cleanup Sweep Team and fanned out across the Railway Trail.

At the conclusion of the clean-up 65 bags of trash, 58 blue recycling bags and approximately 450 lbs. of bulky waste items, including a refrigerator, a toilet, a car windshield, a set of golf clubs, a rusty metal realtor sign, two fans, paint cans, linoleum flooring, a lawn mower, a barbeque, a stolen purse and a still functioning iPad.

In total nearly 2,600lbs of debris was collected.

Executive Director of Keep Bermuda Beautiful Anne Hyde said, “KBB is delighted to have the support of The Fairmont Southampton Green Team in kicking off our re-branded adopt a spot program with their successful adoption of a large section of the Southampton railway trail.  We are pleased that the hotel graciously agreed to partner with 50 Catholic Diocese Confirmation students for this cleanup.  This provides an opportunity to not only restore cleanliness and beauty to this area but also to further instill in our young people the value of serving our community.”