Beach Tidy Ups

Our country has hundreds of beautiful beaches, but sadly litter can spoil the whole area and put wildlife at risk.

A beach tidy up is a great way of helping to keep our beaches clean and safe for everyone to enjoy.

If you live near the coast or you have a favourite beach which you would like to keep clean and tidy, why not organise beach tidy up?

A litter pick by the coast can be a fun and enjoyable experience but there are a few things you need to bear in mind to avoid unnecessary risks.

Safety Tips for your Beachside Tidy Up
The first thing you must remember to do when organising a beachside tidy up is to find out who manages the beach and inform them of your event.

Sometimes the beach manager will have an office by or near the beach. If so, it will be worth while visiting them to tell them about your tidy up.

Alternatively, details about who manages the beach can be found on the information board if your beach has one. Often the board will tell you who the beach manager is and will provide contact information for you to get hold of them. If your beach doesn’t have an information board, you may wish to contact your local authority for assistance.

When you have made contact with the beach manager, you will need to tell them when and where your tidy up is taking place, how many people will be attending and what measures you have in place to manage risks and ensure all volunteers are safe whilst taking part.

Your beach manager may even provide some support for your event or wish to get involved.

Once you have spoken to your beach manager, you need to plan your tidy up event. You can follow our general guidance here on our website under Tidy Ups but there are other risks which you need to be aware of.

Here are some safety tips to help you plan your beachside tidy up however your beach manager will be able to help you plan for the specific risks for your beach.

Read safety signs
Always read and obey the safety signs, usually found at the entrance to the beach. These will help you avoid potential hazards on the beach and daily conditions at the beach.

Assess the risks
Do a check of the beach when you arrive. Take notice of whether there are lifeguards available, whether the tide is in or out, if the beach busy and whether there are quick sands. Keep away from cliff edges and never drink alcohol whilst your event is taking place.

Once you have assessed the risks, you will need to ensure that your group is aware of the dangers.

Go together
Make sure you know where everyone in your group is. Children should always be accompanied by an adult whilst taking part in the tidy up, not by themselves. You will need to make your team aware of the risks and ensure that they do not enter the sea to collect litter.

Learn how to handle an emergency
Prepare for an emergency. Make sure you know what to do if someone gets into difficulty. Shout for help and tell a lifeguard if there is one. Go to the nearest phone and call 999 and ask for the coast guard. Under no circumstances should you enter the water to rescue someone.
Back