PLANET LEAGUE: NURDLE DERBY
Sunderland v Newcastle: this time it's on the beach!
The second season of the Nurdle Derby runs from 6th October to 1st November, and Sunderland's final fixture is against Newcastle. Sign up at nurdlederby.com, pick Sunderland, and score goals for the club by completing nurdle actions, on the beach or from home.
WHAT HAPPENED
In July a collision in the Port of Tyne spilt 17 tonnes of plastic pellets into the water, and they have been washing up on beaches along the coast ever since. Roker and Seaburn have not been spared. Seabirds mistake the white pellets for food, and they block up their stomachs.
WHAT'S BEEN DONE
About 2,000 volunteers, from Blyth down to Sunderland, have been out with nets, brooms and home-made contraptions, and roughly five tonnes have been recovered. That leaves around 12 tonnes still out there. Those volunteers have been at it for months, and they need reinforcements.
THE NURDLE DERBY
Planet League and Northumberland Wildlife Trust set it up so that football fans could provide them. Fans of six clubs (Blyth Spartans, Newcastle United, North Shields, South Shields, Sunderland and Whitley Bay) compete for the Nurdle Trophy.
HOW IT WORKS
Sign up, choose your club, and score goals by completing over 20 different nurdle-related actions. Most mean getting down to the beach but some can be also done from the sofa.
SUNDERLAND'S FIXTURES
6th–11th October: fans of South Shields (still time to join in)
13th–18th October: fans of Blyth Spartans
20th–25th October: fans of Whitley Bay
27th October–1st November: fans of Newcastle United
The Newcastle week is the one that matters, but it takes a few weeks to build momentum, so start now. We have unfinished business - Sunderland finished second to South Shields fans in the first season, which ran during September. We can do better, and it only needs more fans to turn up.
PRIZES
The top-scoring Sunderland fan wins a club shirt.
The best photo wins a voucher from Barbour International.
The fan who recruits the most mates wins a ticket to a home Premier League match.
Any generous fans with businesses who would like to donate further prizes are welcome to get in touch.
A SUPPORTERS' CLEAN-UP
If fans would like to organise a group event, such as a matchday-weekend clean-up at Roker or Seaburn, there is an active WhatsApp community of volunteers and organisations who will provide kit, show newcomers the ropes and help host. You choose the date and the place. You’ll need tough footwear and warm clothes. Gloves and bags can be provided if needed, children and dogs are welcome.
To arrange something, contact Planet League, who started the Nurdle Derby, at james@planetleague.co.uk.
BEYOND THE PLASTIC
Getting outdoors with mates, being active close to nature, and working on something that matters can really put you in a good place. The nurdle problem isn't going away soon, and the organisers hope the Derby can grow into something wider next spring.
