Homepage

If you’re planning on visiting one of the UK’s hundreds of designated bathing water beaches this year you might be shocked to find a wet wipe buried in the sand next to your picnic spot.

It’s unlikely that these wipes have been left here as litter; millions of wipes are wrongly flushed down the toilet each year which means some of them reach our much loved beaches and seas after sewers are overloaded by heavy rain or flooding.

Wet wipes are becoming essential to parents; helping clean up anything from dirty nappies to grubby faces, with the range of wipes in the market increasing in line with this demand. The Marine Conservation Society’s annual beach litter survey shows that the number of wet wipes found on UK beaches have echoed this trend, increasing by 700% over the last decade.

“But my wet wipe says flushable on it?”

Unfortunately, ‘flushable’ wipes may not break down quickly once they’ve been flushed. This can add to the risk of blockages, so remember to only flush the 3Ps – pee, paper and poo.

The #binit4beaches campaign is talking to families over the summer holidays about the importance of only flushing the 3P’s down the toilet; pee, poo and (toilet) paper and always putting wet wipes in the bin.

“Can I help?”

Instantly! Make this small change in your home and help reduce wet wipes reaching our much loved rivers and seas.

You can also help increase awareness about the effects on the environment when wet wipes are flushed down the toilet with your friends and family. Share this web page or use the #binit4beaches hashtag on social between the 14^th and 20^th August 2017 or support our Thunderclap campaign.

On Thursday 24th August, from 10.30am, the LOVEmyBEACH team will be setting out on our first ever dog friendly coastal walk.

We’ll be highlighting some of the best spots to walk your dog along the Fylde coast, pointing out the areas to avoid from May to September and explaining why there are restrictions in place.

The walk will start at The Solaris Centre (Blackpool, FY4 1RW, parking available) last approximately 1 hour and cover about 2 miles of the coastline.

Additionally at the events start and end point (Solaris Centre) the Dogs Trust will be attendance to offer free advice to dog owners as well as health checks, micropchipping and nail clipping.  No appointments are required.

Please join us with your furry friend! No booking necessary but it would be great to know how many people will be attending so, if possible, please email us on enquiries@lovemybeach.org.

NOTE: Dogs should be under control at all times and kept on leads in locations where stated.

More information from the Dogs Trust:

Veterinary nurses will be attending to carry out basic health checks including nail clipping, and they will check eyes, ears, teeth and weight, to make sure your dog is happy, fit and healthy. Alongside the health check, our team will provide advice on diet, training and neutering. Each owner will be provided with a responsible dog ownership pack, including handy tips and useful resources for you to continue to use  at home. Free goodie packs also available for puppy owners and those who are thinking of getting a puppy. Extra goodie packs available for those wanting to learn how to stay healthy with their dog.

The Dogs Trust team also offer free on-the-spot microchipping for dogs that aren’t yet chipped (microchipping is a legal requirement as of April 2016). We can also advise you about changing your microchip details  should it be needed.

The Dogs Trust team welcome all breeds of dogs, whether a  pup or an adult, however Dogs Trust will not chip active hunting hounds or litters of puppies. We ask that puppies under 6 months old are fully vaccinated and proof of  vaccinations are brought along to the event. If your puppy has recently been vaccinated, they must be carried for the 10 days following their final vaccination. Dogs over 6 months old do not require proof of vaccination.

LOVEmyBEACH is proud to announce the arrival of 12 two minute beach clean boards to the North West. The boards are a tool which make it easier for everyone to do their bit to look after the beach. The stations are A-boards with a holder for litter pickers and a slot for used plastic bags.

Aside from having a dirty beach with items on it that are a risk to our health there are lots of very good reasons why we need your help to remove rubbish from the marine environment.

A two minute beach clean might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things but it is important. Every piece of plastic that you remove from the marine environment is no longer a danger to the animals that still live there. They won’t break down into micro plastics, strangle seabirds or mammals or end up being ingested.

A two minute beach clean gets you outside; helps to keep you healthy and fit and feeling good. Children love to help clean the beach and learn more about protecting marine wildlife.

You can find #2minutebeachclean boards at:

• Rossall Point Tower
• Fleetwood Beach Kiosk
• Water Side Cafe, St Annes
• Cafe Cove, Cleveleys
• Formby

More locations coming soon, watch this space!

Please share a photo of your beach clean using the hashtags #2minutebeachclean and #lovemybeach