Weymouth beach to fly Blue Flag/Seaside Award with pride this summer
Awards recognise and celebrate Weymouth as one of the country’s best beaches as international Blue Flag celebrates its 35th anniversary
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has today (Friday 13th May) announced Weymouth as one of the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2022.
Weymouth beach is among 128 in England granted Seaside Awards and 81 sites awarded with Blue Flag after it met the high standard required to attain these accolades.
Mayor of Weymouth, Cllr Ann Weaving, said: “I’m delighted that our beautiful beach has once again received the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards, showing that Weymouth beach is among the best in the country. It’s testament to the hard work of Weymouth Town Council and our partners that we continue to receive these awards year after year.
“I’d especially like to thank our dedicated resort team who work seven days a week to ensure that Weymouth beach is a safe and enjoyable place to be for residents and visitors. Well done Team Weymouth.”
Weymouth Town Council’s Resort Manager Will Holmes added: “Super excited to see Weymouth beach – the jewel on the Jurassic coastline – listed among the best beaches in the country by Keep Britain Tidy. Gaining this accolade is a real community effort so it’s great to see residents care as passionately as we do about the beach and the environment. The awards represent our ongoing commitment to provide a safe, clean and well-managed space for all to enjoy.”
Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE. said: “The success of Weymouth beach in reaching the high standards demanded is testament to all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve our blue spaces – from beach managers and volunteers to local residents and businesses. The huge commitment needed to maintain marvellous beaches worthy of these awards cannot be underestimated.
“People who visit a beach flying a Blue Flag or Seaside Award can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.”
The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and promoting the country’s best beaches.
Blue Flag is an international award managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education. It is only presented to well-managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes, while Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.
Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:
- Safety and services, such as first aid, lifeguards where necessary
- Environmental information including displaying details about local eco systems
- Water quality – Blue Flag beaches must meet the ‘excellent’ water quality standard as set out in the EU bathing water directive and Seaside Award winners must meet the ‘sufficient’ standard.
- Environmental management, including litter and waste.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity that cares for the environment on your doorstep. We work to eliminate littering, reduce waste and improve public space. We run programmes including Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our programmes and campaigns visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.
- A full list of England’s award-winning beaches is available here.
- These awards are the only way for the public to be assured that beaches are delivering a safe, clean and well-managed space for them to enjoy but our coast is a natural environment and water quality may vary, particularly after heavy rainfall when the advice from the World Health Organisation is to refrain from entering the water for 24 hours.
- Water quality testing is carried out in England by the Environmental Agency weekly during the bathing season from May to September. Before heading down to the beach, the public is advised to check the Environment Agency’s Swimfo website to check for any pollution risks as a result of rainfall, wind or high tides.
Media enquiries
Keep Britain Tidy press office: helen.bingham@keepbritaintidy.org 07768 880016.
Weymouth Town Council communications: comms@weymouthtowncouncil.gov.uk
The latest information and updates from Weymouth Town Council can be found on the website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.