Thank you to Fylde Community Projects Fund!

We’d like to thank Fylde Community Projects Fund for their generous donation to the LOVEmyBEACH project, which will enable us to purchase 50 new sets of kit. Previously, volunteers would arrive at a beach clean event and borrow a set of kit for the duration of the clean and then return it at the end. However, since Covid we have adapted our set up to reduce infection risk ..

Vote for Morecambe Bay Partnership!

Let's lend our LOVEmyBEACH support to Morecambe Bay Partnership who are seeking funding to tackle plastic from the coast! Our partner is seeking public votes to win funding from an internationally renowned conservation charity, to help it banish plastic from our beautiful coastline. The only UK-based project to be shortlisted in the ‘marine’ category of the European O..

Meet our new officer!

We are very excited to introduce you to our new LOVEmyBEACH Officer for Morecambe and Cumbria, Anya Kuliszewski!

Anya grew up near Arnside and Silverdale so is very familiar with Morecambe and Cumbria. She is a passionate environmentalist and is joining us from the National Trust, having been the Visitor Experience Manager at Sticklebarn and Langdale, where she m..

Next event

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Beach Cleans Cancelled

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Recent tweets

RT @KeepBritainTidy: Check out this new tv show our Eco Schools Manager has been involved in! What a great resource for the young ones https://t.co/V3vrUGzU72 1 week
RT @FyldeBeachCare: We are very fortunate to have a large number of seals along the North West coastline If you do find one, please f… https://t.co/V8PJjUEYV8 1 week
What do you think of this? We all love our four-legged friends, but a new study shows the impact of dogs on nesti… https://t.co/cVr5PqCeyu 1 week
RT @BathingWatersEA: #DYK that rainfall can wash dog poo into bathing waters through the surface water drains and streams, even if the d… https://t.co/PE9b3zS14N 4 weeks

Water quality

The Environment Agency monitors bathing waters – stretches of sea or lake where many people swim and paddle – to assess whether they meet the strict standards of the European Bathing Water Directive. The standards are set to protect public health and the environment from pollution.

The Environment Agency takes 20 water samples at each bathing water between May and September each year and post the information online: http://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/

The samples are tested for certain types of bacteria: escherichia coli (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci, which are not directly harmful but indicate the presence of pollution. The bacteria are found in the intestines of animals and humans and pass through the body in poo. High levels of bacteria = poor water quality.

However, the water may be cleaner on the actual day you visit the beach, as the quality can change, particularly after heavy rain washes pollution into rivers and the sea. Look out for daily forecasts at some beaches.

Each beach is also given an annual classification. From 2015 this is based on sample results over the previous four years, e.g. 2015 results use data from 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. 2016 results use data from 2013 to 2016 and so on. The classifications are:

Excellent

The standard is the highest, cleanest class

Good

Generally good water quality

Sufficient

The water meets the minimum standards

Poor

Bathing is not advised at this beach as water quality has not met sufficient standards

If a bathing water is classed as Poor, you are advised not to bathe because samples taken over the previous four years have been affected by pollution. This does not mean the beach is closed – you can still enjoy everything the beach has to offer.

If a water sample has high levels of bacteria, analysis is done to estimate* the sources of pollution and work is planned in the area to improve water quality. When this work is significant and is expected to help improve bathing water quality, the four years of data for the annual classification starts from the time the work is completed and sample data from before the work are not included. This is called step change.

*Estimates are based on computer modelling, DNA analysis, and knowledge of the local area. The estimates can never be perfect because pollution to bathing waters changes from day to day depending on the season, the tides and the weather.

Thank you to Fylde Community Projects Fund!

Vote for Morecambe Bay Partnership!

World Mental Health Day 2020

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