Having opted to keep a low profile, I left it until the last minute to head out and quietly mingle with the gathering crowd at the beach huts, just as the tide was on the turn mid-morning on the Friday of Hope’s meticulously planned ‘Big Beach Clean’.

I knew she had been a bit concerned about how many people would turn out as it was a weekday and not yet the holidays, but there were more than enough of us to make an impact. She had arranged that in subsequent months the event would happen over a weekend, but with the solstice falling on a Saturday this year, she had thought it best not to have both things on the same day, which made perfect sense to me. There was going to be plenty to do ahead of the party tomorrow without having to worry about keeping an eye on everyone’s safety and disposing of the waste we had all gathered to collect.

I tried to stay out of his way, but Sam purposefully came to stand next to me, before giving Hope an encouraging thumbs up as she climbed on to the seawall and clapped her hands together to gain everyone’s attention.

‘Good morning!’ she shouted, once they had quietened down. ‘And welcome to this, the first Wynmouth beach clean event. I’m hoping many more will follow, but that in the future we won’t have anywhere near as much rubbish to clear as today.’

Everyone clapped and cheered in response.

‘Before we get started,’ she quickly told them before they started chatting again, ‘there are a few things I need to bring to your attention.’

Having listened to her health and safety, safeguarding and ‘what to do with the rubbish you collect’ speech at least a dozen times already, I found myself zoning out.

‘Did you ever find out if any of the huts were available to rent?’ Sam asked me, nodding towards the prettily painted row.

I was relieved he wasn’t going to ignore me, but I couldn’t help thinking that it was a rather out of the blue thing to ask, but then he was probably looking for a convenient conversational opener that didn’t involve me accusing him of anything.

‘No,’ I whispered back, my eyes still focused on Hope. ‘I didn’t bother. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d use one enough to warrant it.’

Sam nodded.

‘Probably for the best,’ he said. ‘From what I can make out, they’re still a popular courting spot in the evenings so perhaps not the most relaxing place to be.’

‘Unless of course you’re courting,’ I pointed out.