Pitch in with a beach clean

We look after 780 miles of coastline, providing havens for wildlife and beautiful beaches for everyone to enjoy. If you'd like to lend a hand to keep these places special, why not join in with one of our regular beach cleans? We run events up and down the country throughout the year - here are a few to get you started.

National Trust Great British Beach Clean

Thank you for helping us keep your favourite beaches clean and tidy

We would like to thank all the volunteers who have done their bit to clear litter from the beaches we love. All of your hard work means the coastal places we look after are safer for wildlife and more beautiful to visit.

Several hundred National Trust volunteers took part in the Marine Conservation Society’s 25th Great British Beach Clean. The event, held over four days in September, saw almost 15,000 volunteers clean up 494 beaches, including 25 cared for by us. Across the UK the volunteers collected an average of 600 items for every 100-metre stretch of beach they cleaned.

BBC Springwatch beach clean on Freshwater West beach

Gower Peninsula, Wales 

From bracing clifftop walks to surfing the waves or even just the feeling of sand between your toes, we can all get something out of time spent beside the sea. If you’re passionate about the coast, why not head to the Gower to team up with like-minded souls for a spot of beach cleaning? Join the team as they work their way around the coastline to a different beach each month, finishing at Pwll Du in December 2018.

Lend a hand
View of Durgan Village and its beach backed by woodland

Porth Saxon, South Cornwall 

Hidden in a peaceful cove near the estuary of the Helford River in the south of Cornwall, Porth Saxon beach is a magical place to be. Make sure it stays this way by working with a friendly group of volunteers to remove the litter that washes up on the shore. We'll provide the gloves, bags and litter pickers, all you'll need is a can-do attitude. Head to the charming village of Durgan afterwards for a hot drink at the cosy café in the Fish Cellar.

Pitch in
A rainbow over Chapel Porth beach, Cornwall

St Agnes Head, Cornwall 

Nothing stays the same for long at Chapel Porth beach. At high tide this stretch of coast is an intimate rocky cove. When the tide goes in a vast expanse of golden sand is revealed. But the movements of the sea also turn up rubbish, threatening sea birds and marine creatures. Would you like to do something to help? Why not come along to the next beach clean? While you're here explore the fascinating remains of the area's industrial past.

Turn the tide on litter
" Removing harmful plastics, bits of lost fishing gear and polluting domestic rubbish from our beaches will help to ensure that seals and seabirds do not get entangled, fish and other marine animals do not swallow pieces of plastic and that we have beautiful clean beaches for our holidays. "
- Sue Wells, marine project manager, National Trust
porthcurnick beach, Roseland, Cornwall

Roseland Peninsula, Cornwall 

Cornwall is famous for its beautiful beaches, and those on the remote Roseland peninsula are no exception. The sandy coves of Porthcurnick and Pendower are both great spots to take a walk and let the roll of waves and fresh sea air revive you. If you’d like to lend a helping hand to care for these special places, then why not come along to one of the monthly beach cleans? They’re a great opportunity to meet new people and give something back to nature.

Get stuck in
Whitehaven Harbour and Candlestick

Whitehaven Coast, Cumbria 

The Colourful Coast Partnership was created to look after the beautiful stretch of coastline between Whitehaven and St. Bees, so people can enjoy exploring and wildlife can flourish. In summer the headlands are carpeted with bright wildflowers while winter brings the chance for bracing clifftop walks. If you’d like to lend a hand, come along to one of the monthly beach cleans to help remove marine litter and keep these places special for everyone to enjoy.

Get involved

Great British Beach Clean 2018 in numbers

Record numbers of volunteers made this year's Great British Beach Clean the UK's biggest ever coastal clean up. Here are some of the key facts and figures released by the Marine Conservation Society on September's event:

  • This year's Great British Beach Clean saw almost 15,000 volunteers pick up 8550kg of litter from beaches across the UK. That’s about three times as heavy as the tongue of a blue whale.
  • The amount of litter collected this year fell by 16 per cent. But while litter levels may fluctuate year-on-year they have risen by more than 15 per cent over the last decade. 
  • The top three most common types of litter collected were: plastics/polystyrene pieces, glass and cigarette stubs.
  • It's not possible to tell where almost half (49 per cent) of the litter collected came from because it had broken down into such tiny pieces.   

 

Volunteers beach cleaning on The Lizard

Turn the tide on beach litter 

Taking part in one of our beach cleans is a great way of giving back to a place you love and meeting new people. Join the rubbish revolution and help keep your favourite beaches litter-free.

Find a beach clean near you