Celebrations as South Shields' Sandhaven Beach given Seaside Award

Keep Britain Tidy has announced the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for 2021.

The international Blue Flag and the UK Seaside Awards are the quality marks for our beaches and mean those visiting them can be sure that they are clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as the tough international bathing water quality standards.

Sandhaven Beach has not had a Blue Flag since 2019, but will still be able to hail a Seaside Award.

Councillor Ernest Gibson, lead member for Area Management and Community Safety at South Tyneside Council, said: “We are thrilled to secure the Seaside Award for Sandhaven.

“This past year has certainly demonstrated the importance of our stunning coastline, especially for the health and wellbeing of our residents. A day trip to the beach is also likely to be a real highlight of the summer for many people again this year.

“The success of Sandhaven meeting the requirements demanded by the Seaside Award is testament to all those who work extremely hard throughout the year – our staff, partners and volunteers – to ensure our seafront is kept to a standard that keeps people returning whenever they can. A very well done to all those involved.”

A total of six Blue Flags will fly in the North East, including at Sunderland’s Roker and Seaburn beaches, and the region has nine Seaside Awards.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said every single one of them is on the ‘green list’, proving that you don’t need to jet off to Europe or even further afield to visit some of the best beaches in the world – they’re right here on our doorstep.

“This year, more than ever, we are going to be relying on our country’s beautiful beaches to escape for a much-needed break after all the stresses and strains of the past year,” she said.

“Last year, due to the pandemic, we did not have the opportunity to celebrate all the great award-winning beaches around the coast so this year we are delighted to have even more winners than we did in 2019, thanks to the incredible work of the teams around the country that make our beaches clean and safe for us all to enjoy.

“From environmental education for the community and ensuring responsible beach use, to cleaning regimes and an increasing number of recycling facilities, it is a full-time commitment to create beaches worthy of these awards.

“As we all plan our 2021 holidays much closer to home, thanks to the Blue Flag and Seaside Award those choosing to holiday in the North East near one of its award-winning beach can be assured it will be clean and safe and meet the highest standards for water quality and management.”

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