Volunteers at the Big Beach Clean Up 2013

The annual beach litter picking event, the Big Beach Clean Up, will run from 24-30 April, it has been announced.

Sponsored by food and clothing retailer Marks and Spenser (M&S) in association with the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and the Canal River Trust, the clean up calls for volunteers to help litter-pick 95 beaches and 45 canals across the UK.

Founded three years ago, the event aims to rid English coastlines of litter, as there is, on average, two pieces of litter on every metre of beach.

This year’s clean up will focus on the areas hit by recent storms, such as Eastney in Portsmouth, Exmoth in Devon, Chesil Cove in Dorset, and Hayle Towns in Cornwall.

All volunteers will be rewarded with a £5 money-off voucher on a £30 food shop in M&S stores, with school groups receiving an MCS Cool Seas Explorer pack, that promotes the message of conservation through games and activities.

Last year, the event saw 9,000 volunteers collect 30 tonnes of litter from over 300 kilometres of coastline, and M&S says it hopes that this figure will be surpassed this year.

Rubbish harms wildlife and spoils the coast

Sacha Berendji, Director of Retail at Marks & Spencer, said: “Our Big Beach Clean-up 2013 exceeded all expectations and made a significant impact on local communities. This year our beaches and canals, and in turn our marine life, need us and our army of volunteers more than ever before. It’s a fun, outdoor activity and I’m confident we can go one step further and surpass last year’s litter haul.”

Samantha Fanshawe, MCS Chief Executive, added: “This week of action is a great opportunity to clean up some of our best loved beaches and remove litter that has built up following recent storms.

“Rubbish washed up or left on beaches not only harms wildlife but spoils our enjoyment of the coast too, so the more people that take part the more litter we can remove from harm’s way.”

Richard Parry, Chief Executive at the Canal & River Trust, also commented, saying: “We’re delighted to be joining forces again with Marks & Spencer and all the volunteers who take part in the Big Beach Clean-up. The event will build on the work that is done everyday to keep the waterways in the best possible condition, with this year’s event set to be bigger and better than ever.”

Forever Fish

The Big Beach Clean Up is part of M&S’ longer running Forever Fish campaign, which is funded by the profits from the chain’s five pence carrier bag charge.

The campaign incorporates:

• the annual Big Beach Clean Up;
• the ‘School of Fish’ education programme to teach children about sustainable fishing;
• a £1 million donation to the World Wildlife Foundation, specifically to help better manage UK fish stocks and protect endangered aquatic species; and
• a commitment to promoting sustainably sourced fish, and to encourage the fishing of more plentiful (but lesser known) species such as the Dab or the Flounder.

Sign up to take part in the Big Beach Clean Up.