Beach cleans
For Public Beach Cleans
The Thanet Coast Project helps volunteers and groups with advice to run their own practical tasks to help clean up around the Thanet coastline. Why not organise one - or join in with an existing group - the more hands helping, the better! Join a Thanet Coast Project event or look at contacting from one of the list of organised local group contacts from the list below.
For your own 2-minute beach clean
The Thanet Coast has a series of #2minutebeachclean {please click on link} stations where you can borrow a stick, and fill a bag with beach litter - following the safety guidance issued, & can post your good work on social media for everyone to see how easy it is to get involved!
For organising your own community beach clean
Community groups can organise their own beach cleans. All you have to do is submit the online application below - which will include all the information required for obtaining landowner permission (Thanet Council foreshore) & enable you to book out equipment on loan for your beach clean on the Thanet Coast:
Organisers need to submit a
-
Organised Groups /Beach Clean Form
(click for link)
You can get initial advice: talk to us (at thanet.coast@thanet.gov.uk) about landowner permission, beach clean locations and date/time/tides for the clean.
But you will need to complete this online form and:
- carry out your own beach clean 'risk assessment'. A TDC general Community Clean Up (litter pick) template can be used as a starting point, if needed. However, you will need to UPDATE wuth CURRENT coronvirus measures - and social distancing - to this table. Further safety guidelines are also produced by the Marine Conservation Society's Great British Beach Clean - including Coronavirus health & safety guidance; and Keep Britain Tidy with coronavirus advice; & the Thanet's Beach Management Plan 2020 for the set up along the coast.
- arrange for & show us your own public liability insurance. Alternatively you can arrange cover by linking up with beach clean organisations that can sometimes provide this through their campaigns eg Marine Conservation Society's Beachwatch; SAS - Surfers Against Sewage.
- notify us if you intend to borrow equipment: this will start arrangements to book out and borrow our beach clean equipment, if needed. Litter sticks, gloves, bags, some hoops, and a 'sharps box' for instance. You will also need to consider 'First Aid' cover at your beach clean.
We will help arrange with you for when & where the filled litter bags will be left for collection by Thanet Council's Cleansing team, after the clean up.
NOTE: For INLAND LITTER PICKS - in Thanet, please use:
- ORGANISING YOUR OWN INLAND LITTER PICK Thanet Council {link}
Join an Organised Group:
There are many local voluntary groups running beach cleans around the NE Kent coast, and these are the ones that have let us know of their activities:
Birchington Anti-litter Group (BAG) organise regular impromptu litter picks that include the beaches around the area. See their facebook page for more information.
Westgate Against Rubbish (WAR)- looking to start new 'war' on litter. Beach clean equipment is also available for loans to groups wishing to help clean up in the Westgate area from Westgate Town Council.
Rise Up. Clean Up. Margate - regular weekly evening cleans. More on their website and Twitter
A Better Cliftonville (ABC) & Walpole Bay Swimmers (WBS) - are running regular Walpole Bay beach cleans at 11am on the last Sunday of the month, meeting at the ramp to Walpole Tidal Pool.
Palm Bay & Northdown Community Group (private group)
Friends of Botany Bay and Kingsgate - Registered CIC and runs regular beach cleans with local volunteers.
Broadstairs Town Team are running regular beach cleans, as well as work around town. Litter pickers, plastic bags and hoops will be provided, but please note: on these cleans, you are advised to bring your own gloves and wear warm clothing! Please view their Facebook site for location & further details (please use link above).
Ramsgate Town Team; Ramsgate Town Council have various clean up projects and an online group - Ramsgate Litter Pickers (facebook) - as well as campaigns like the Great Spring Clean.
Advice on other cleans in the Ramsgate area - different groups occcasionally undertake projects eg Ramsgate Society or Winterstoke Gardens/East Cliff projects
Western Undercliff - Artificial Beach Group, Ramsgate - run clean ups in this part of the Ramsgate coast.
Thanet Coast Project - Also see What's On (events). Beach Cleans at Pegwell Bay, Cliffsend (CT12 5JD). Joint cleans within the National Nature Reserve with Kent Wildlife Trust. Meet on the beach below the former hoverport access road, Cliffsend.
These clean ups are also run in conjunction with the Marine Conservation Society volunteers - and particularly their annual Great British Beach Clean event in September (part of Beachwatch). All cleans last 2 hours.
- Mon 4 April - Minnis Bay - past event
- Mon 27 June - Pegwell Bay - past event
- Sat 17 Sept, 10am - Pegwell Bay, Cliffsend (CT12 5HY) - past
- Sat 17 Sept, 2pm - Plum Pudding, Birchington - past
- Thur 1 December, 10am - Pegwell Bay, Cliffsend (CT125HY) -past event
- 2023 - tbc
For Whitstable & Herne Bay area:
- you can also register to organise a litter pick with Canterbury City Council.
Herne Bay - Bay Beach Clean
Whitstable - Whitstable's Marine Environment Group - run monthly beach cleans
For Deal and Sandwich area:
- you can organise a litter pick with help from Dover District Council.
Deal - Deal With It - run regular beach cleans along the coast in the Deal & Warmer area.
Link up to a nationally organised campaigns:
Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) - run beach clean tasks and have great Spring & Autumn Beach Cleans.
Marine Conservation Society's 'Beachwatch' (MCS) - run beach clean tasks and coordinate the Great British Beach Clean (every third weekend in September).
Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) - run various campaigns eg Great British Spring Clean & The Big Tidy Up.
PLEASE NOTE:
Coronavirus advice: local coronavirus advice & public health advice
This advisory service - including loan of equipment - was kick-started with kind support from Seachangers and Southern Water.
Thanet Coast (NEKMPA)
c/o Thanet District Council,
PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1XZ
United Kingdom
E-mail:
Tony Child
Thanet Coast (NE Kent Marine Protected Area) Officer
Telephone: +44 (0) 1843 577672
(based in Manston Road Depot)