Congratulations to Lorraine Shaab our August 2026 Volunteer of the month

Lorraine volunteers her time leading the Wellington Coast Clean-Up Crew (formerly Petone Beach Clean Up Crew). She started the group back in August 2017 after seeing the amount of rubbish washing up on Petone Beach.

She created a Facebook event and hoped a few people might come along to help. She clearly remembers nearly deleting the event because she was worried no one but herself would turn up.

However, in the end, she thought, “Even if it’s just me, I can still make a difference.”

Now, almost a decade later, her clean-up efforts have expanded across the wider Wellington region. The Wellington Coast Clean-Up Crew holds many regular events (often co-hosted with Keep Hutt Valley Beautiful) which generally attract a core group of 20 to 30 volunteers with many others joining in ‘on the day’ and has removed tonnes of waste from the shorelines.

She says it’s been incredibly rewarding bringing together people from all walks of life who share a passion for protecting our environment. 

And what keeps her going, even when it feels like we’re drowning in rubbish?
“It’s knowing that every clean-up helps protect the marine life and birds that call our waterways home”

In July Lorraine learnt that the group had been nominated as a finalist for the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards for Lower Hutt.

Thank you, Lorraine for Keeping New Zealand Beautiful

Check out her Facebook page here: –
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067439310825