M&S Big Beach Clean Up

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Marks & Spencer’s 4th annual Big Beach Clean-up takes place at Sand Bay, volunteers can still sign up to take part.

Starting at 9.30am on 12th May, the event will be hosted in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and invites local residents, businesses, families, students and societies to join them in helping to scoop up unwanted rubbish.

Following the clean-up event, volunteers will be able to relax on deckchairs and enjoy entertainment with a twist. Giant versions of some of Britain’s best loved party games including connect four, jenga, twister, draughts and snakes & ladders will be set up on the beach for people to have fun after the litter-clearing work has been done!

Weston Pier is also offering all Big Beach Clean-up volunteers who register for the day free entry to the pier before June.

Kim Baker, Store Manager at M&S Weston-super-Mare, said: “It isn’t long now until our Big Beach Clean-Up event takes place at Sand Bay. With just a couple of weeks to go, we’re giving a call out to members of the local community to sign up and get behind this worthwhile cause. Not only will volunteers be doing something positive for the local environment but it’s also a chance to get together with friends and have some fun on the beach too!

“A fantastic effort was made last year which resulted in 4,000 bin bags full of litter collected across the country. We’re hoping that this year will be our most successful yet, and we’re looking forward to doing our bit to make the beach a cleaner place for individuals to enjoy this summer.”

The 4th annual Big Beach Clean-up will see events take place at 145 beaches and canals up and down the country between the 7th and 13th May. It is expected that over 8,000 people (3,000 M&S employees and 5,000 M&S customers) will take part and customers can find their nearest beach clean and sign-up at www.mcsuk.org/foreverfish.

Most of the litter collected will be common waste items such as fishing nets, ropes and bottles tops. Last year 10,000 cotton buds, 25,000 crisp packets, 42,000 tin cans were collected. Cleaners also found an array of unusual items including false teeth, a hammer, a plastic leg, two motorbikes, a Smurf, a breast implant and an Action Man.

The M&S Big Beach Clean-up is part of M&S’ Forever Fish campaign which is funded by the profits from the 5p carrier bag charge in M&S foodhalls. Since its introduction in 2008, the charge has reduced carrier bag use by 75 per cent and raised over £8 million for good causes.

Since the M&S Big Beach Clean-up began in May 2012 over 20,000 people have taken part and 62.5 tonnes of litter – the weight of Challenger 2 tank – has been cleared from our canals and beaches.

Customers can find out more www.marksandspencer.com/plana and follow the event on twitter (@marksandspencer or search #beachclean) and facebook (www.facebook.com/marksandspencer).