The Great British Beach Clean is coming to a beach near you and you’re invited to take part! The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is calling for volunteers to join its annual event, to clean up the UK coast. “As the world starts to open up again, the Great British Beach Clean is a fantastic opportunity to get out and do something good for the environment,” says comedian Zoe Lyons, MCS’s newest Ocean Ambassador.

Between Friday 17th and Sunday 26th September, volunteers will pick up litter to keep our beaches beautiful and protect marine life. Shockingly, around 11 million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year. By getting involved, you can help stop this flow of litter. The event is much more than just a beach clean, though. Every year, volunteers log the litter they collect on each 100-metre stretch of beach, and share their findings with MCS experts. The data is then used to campaign for change. Previously, data has helped introduce plastic bag charges. And it’s currently proving helpful in a campaign for a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in the UK. So why not be part of a sea change and get involved?

“We’re hoping that more volunteers than ever before are beach clean ready this year,” says Lizzie Prior, Beachwatch Officer at the MCS. “Come rain, shine or gale force winds, we’ll be there with a litter picker in hand with a smile on our faces,” adds Zoe. There are beach cleans taking place across the UK, no matter where you are. The MCS website has details of your nearest beach clean. If you want, you can even organise your own!  You could make a day of it and explore the area around the beach after your litter pick, too.

Beach Clean Ready – Credit – Marco Betti – Marine Conservation Society

Of course, much of the litter on beaches and in the sea begins its journey far from the coast, in villages, towns and cities. That’s why the charity is holding its Source to Sea Litter Quest, as part of the Great British Beach Clean. It’s a fantastic way to help all year round, by stopping pollution before it even reaches the sea. Just download a form from the MCS website, get your gloves on and step outside for your litter pick.

Thousands of volunteers have joined the Great British Beach Clean over almost three decades. Will you be one of them this year?

Ordnance Survey has a large selection of maps that are perfect for planning a day out around your Great British Beach Clean.

Read How to protect the planet on a walk or hike

Dennis Maps is one of the leading map printers in the world, producing more than two million maps and charts every year. We offer comprehensive pre-press services, large format print solutions using both large format litho printing and large format digital print technologies, plus specialised map folding and map finishing techniques.

Please share