Orkney Link Project teams help Bag the Bruck at Breckness Castle beach clean
4 May 2026
Image: A group of 19 volunteers from the Orkney Link Project removed over 22 bags of litter from the shore near Breckness Castle. Credit: SSEN Transmission
Teams from SSEN Transmission’s Orkney Link Project have rolled up their sleeves to support a community beach clean near Breckness Castle, as part of Orkney’s annual Bag the Bruck spring clean.
A group of 19 volunteers from across SSEN Transmission and project partners BAM, Siemens, RJ MacLeod and BDS joined the clean‑up, working to remove litter, plastic and old rope and as well as other debris from the coastline.
Taking place on the shore near the historic Breckness Castle near Stromness, the volunteers collected 22 black bags of waste, while also filling a trailer with old metal scraps and debris which had been recovered from the beach.
The clean‑up formed part of Orkney’s annual Bag the Bruck initiative, which brings communities together each spring to tackle marine litter, protect local wildlife and care for Orkney’s natural environment. The multi-agency campaign runs annually across the islands, encouraging individuals, community groups and organisations to take action against litter and marine pollution.
Image: The bruck and some of the volunteers from the Orkney Link Project team. Credit: SSEN Transmission
Image: The clear-up was part of Orkney's 'Bag the Bruck' initiative. Credit: SSEN Transmission
Greener Orkney is coordinating this year’s initiative which has seen multiple community-led cleans take place throughout the month. Bag the Bruck 2026 is supported by Greener Orkney, Orkney Islands Council, Scottish Sea Farms, Cooke Scotland and SSEN Transmission.
Natalie Henderson, SSEN Transmission’s Community Liaison Manager, said:
“It was great to see colleagues and contractor partners from across our Orkney Link Project coming together to support Greener Orkney and this year’s Bag the Bruck initiative. Protecting and enhancing the natural environment is really important to us, and the clean up was a practical way to give something back to the local community while making a visible difference.”
Jane Nelson, Greener Orkney’s Bag the Bruck Coordinator, said:
“It was great to see this beach get a good spring clean as due to its location it gets a lot of heavy metal and large items coming onto it with the winter storms. A great job done by the whole team.”
Image: Teams filled a whole trailer with scrap metal recovered from the beach. Credit: SSEN Transmission
SSEN Transmission and its project partners continue to support local initiatives linked to sustainability and community wellbeing as part of the ongoing Orkney Link Project.
Once complete, the Orkney Link Project will connect Orkney to the national electricity transmission network for the first time - unlocking the islands’ vast renewable energy potential, strengthening both Orkney and the country’s energy security, and supporting Scotland’s transition to clean power.
The project involves the construction of new substations in both Finstown (Orkney) and Dounreay (Caithness), which will be connected by a 53km high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) subsea cable running through the Pentland Firth, with underground cables linking the substations at each end.
Learn more about the Orkney Link Project.