From the Board of Directors and staff of KBB, we wish you and your families all the best for a happy and healthy holiday season, and a prosperous start to the new year!
2022 has been a phenomenal year of growth for KBB, none of which would have been possible without a tremendous network of support! Thank you to our volunteers, members, donors and project partners for your contributions throughout this year!
This holiday season, please consider adding KBB to your gift giving list. See below for details on how you can donate your time, your talents and your treasures to help make a difference and keep Bermuda beautiful!
Looking For A Unique Holiday Gift
That Can Create A Big Impact?
Give The Gift Of KBB Membership!
Join The Annual Boxing Day Clean-Up
At Elbow Beach
Monday, December 26th
10am – 12pm
2022 End Of Year Highlights
Clean-Ups Impact: Engagement with KBB is at an all-time high and caring for the environment is becoming increasingly important throughout most of Bermuda, and around the world. In 2021, KBB coordinated a total of 243 clean-ups with 4,267 volunteer hours recorded, which removed more than 20 tonnes of litter from across the entire island.
Thank you to the thousands of volunteers who help clean-up and contribute to keeping Bermuda beautiful throughout the year! Your efforts are greatly appreciated and each individual action contributes to a greater- positive impact on the environment.
We are excited to note that 2022 has built upon the successes of 2021 and our impact statistics have increased over last year! Stay tuned for details to be published in KBB’s 2022 Annual Report next year. Looking ahead, we intend to continue increasing KBB’s impact by expanding our programmes, projects and community outreach initiatives throughout 2023 and beyond.
Staff Expansion: KBB has historically operated with only one member of staff, the Executive Director, and a variety of skilled and dedicated volunteers for whom we have a huge appreciation. For the first time in KBB’s nearly 60-year history, our operations have expanded to include two new members of staff.
In May, Rendell Metellus joined KBB on a part-time basis in the position of Education & Community Outreach Coordinator. Rendell has more than ten years of experience as a science teacher and is currently studying to become a school guidance counsellor. Over the past six months, KBB has enhanced our schools-based programmes, launched a formal curriculum with customisable lesson plans, and engaged with over 2,200 students ages four and up from public and private schools. Heading into the new year, we will be finalising and launching new community outreach programmes.
Abby Stuart completed the team when she took up the part-time post of Office Coordinator in June. Abby’s professional administrative experience spans over two decades. She is the friendly voice answering the KBB phone, managing email correspondence and has responsibility for handling KBB’s accounts and administrative needs. Abby is also the primary contact for scheduling and she manages our inventory of clean-up supplies.
Abandoned Boats Project: We are pleased to report that the first phase of removals for the Abandoned Boats Project, a joint initiative with the Bermuda Government, is nearing completion. (54) abandoned or derelict marine vessels (ADVs) were initially approved for removal, and more than (40) have been pulled over the past several months. Removals for the remaining vessels should be completed in the immediate future.
This removal of abandoned boats is fully funded by individuals, private donations and corporate sponsorships. The level of interest in this project is amazing and KBB is extremely thankful to everyone involved for their tremendous support!
The next phase of removing an additional (31) ADVs will commence shortly and is expected to be complete by Spring, 2023. The project’s goals are to improve the quality of our marine environment, make local waters safer to navigate and beautify Bermuda’s coastline. At the same time, a survey will commence in the new year to identify more vessels for a new phase of removals to commence next summer.
The project also includes collaboration with our colleagues at BEST (Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce) with whom we have formed a working group to research best practice. Through this research, we are gaining a better understanding how other jurisdictions address the issues associated with ADVs, which is providing opportunities to identify potential means for Bermuda to address the root causes of ADVs. The ultimate goal is to support a proactive shift aimed at minimising the potential for marine vessels to be abandoned or left derelict in the first place. The research phase with BEST is well underway and aims to present a series of recommendations in the near future for consideration by the Bermuda Government.
Railway Trail Project: In November, ABIC (the Association of Bermuda International Companies) and KBB hosted a reception in recognition of the Railway Trail Project partners. The project is one of KBB’s Adopt-A-Spot Programmes and was developed in partnership with ABIC and the Government of Bermuda. The Minister of Public Works and the Department of Parks were heavily involved with bringing this project to life and they continue to lend a tremendous amount of support to the project.
The historic trail, which is also Bermuda’s largest national park, has been divided into (17) zones. Each zone is approximately one mile long and is intended for adoption by (17) corporate partners.
We are excited to announce that (15) of the (17) zones have been adopted and are being maintained by ABIC member companies. Thank you to everyone who is involved with and providing support for the project!
Please note, there are (2) zones in Southampton that are still available for adoption. Please contact the KBB office if you are interested in jumping on board with the Railway Trail Project!
Beyond Plastic Bermuda Campaign: Almost two years ago, BEST (Bermuda Environmental Sustainable Taskforce) and KBB came together to form the Beyond Plastic Bermuda campaign. This initiative is aimed at raising awareness and providing community education in support of the Bermuda Government’s proposed ban on single-use plastic (SUPs).
The success of this campaign is phenomenal and we are thankful to the handful of dedicated volunteers who continue to advocate for the environment, educate the community on the perils of plastic and provide eco-friendly alternatives that are better for the environment, and better for human health. We also like to thank the thousands of individuals, community organisations and corporate partners who are taking a stand and saying no to single-use plastic!
#SNTSUP
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T: 799-5142 | E: director@kbb.bm