Ben Fogle calls on Brits to pick up litter from beaches this summer

With millions of Brits planning staycations and day trips to the beach this summer, Ben Fogle is spearheading a new campaign by the Ocean Conservation Trust, which highlights the little things everyone can do to protect the coast when they go to the beach this year; including one core call to action, to pick up five pieces of litter when leaving the beach.

Experts are predicting that Britain is expecting a boom in domestic holidays due to travel restrictions abroad and this ‘Staycation Summer’ will see more Brits swap overseas trips for holidays a little closer to home. Working with Plymouth-based global charity the Ocean Conservation Trust and Plymouth Gin, Ben Fogle is driving awareness of the importance of a healthy ocean.

According to new research, it’s clear that Britain’s beaches have a special place in our hearts and minds – 3 in 4 say the beach makes them happy and an astounding 95% have happy memories linked to the seaside. In fact Brits believe that views of the seaside make them happier than any other view in the UK. With seven months being the average length of time since Brits last saw the sea, and 71% of us set to visit the coast this summer, it’s more important than ever to keep our beaches clean.

The launch of the campaign is sure to find favour with Brits as research shows the biggest annoyance for people at the seaside is litter left on the beach (68%). Moreover, although the majority of the nation is aware of beach pollution (88%), most people say they need to learn more.

Ben says of the campaign, “The beautiful British coastline is shaped by the ocean that supports the rich variety of life on our planet, and I want to keep it that way. I spent much of my childhood, just along the coast from Plymouth and I even rowed the Atlantic, so the ocean has been a huge part of my own life.

This summer, millions of us, myself included, will make a trip to the seaside. There are some things we can’t control, but we can all do our bit this summer. There are over 100 million beach visits every year – if we all picked up 5 pieces of litter on every visit, that’s over 500 million less pieces of rubbish on the beach.”

Nicola Bridge from the OCT says, “The sea makes half of the oxygen that we breathe and drives our weather and climate. Even when you can’t see it, it’s a vital part of life – we’re all connected to our ocean in some way! With millions of us expected to flock to our coastline this ‘staycation summer’, we’re calling on everyone who goes to do their bit.”

There are a few simple yet effective things we can all do to preserve our coastline:

There are over 100 million UK beach visits every year – if we each pick up just five pieces of litter on our beach visits, that would equate to over 500 million pieces of litter being picked up
Repack picnic food at home to ensure packaging is recycled properly and no rubbish is left at the beach
Source local and sustainably sourced seafood – why not try something new on the menu?
Sean Harrison, Master Distiller for Plymouth Gin says, “We have called the South-West home since 1793 and our distillery is only 75 metres away from the harbour. Our history is intrinsically linked to the ocean, and we have a long and proud history travelling the seas with the Royal Navy. Like many of us in this country, it’s a hugely important part of who we are.

That’s why we’re delighted to be supporting our neighbours here in Plymouth, the Ocean Conservation Trust in this ‘leave nothing but footprints’ campaign. The campaign is the next step in Plymouth Gin’s journey into ensuring sustainability is front and centre of everything we do, with further activities and initiatives set to roll out in the coming months. Plymouth Gin has already made great strides in its sustainability journey; the distillery uses 100% renewable electricity and all of our gin botanicals are recycled via an anaerobic digestion power plant, to turn waste into energy ”.