“Litter doesn’t belong in the ocean”: messages to the future shared as UK’s biggest annual beach clean survey set to take place this September
People across the UK share their hopes and fears for the ocean they will leave to future generations, as the Marine Conservation Society calls on the public to turn concern into action by joining this year’s Great British Beach Clean.
Ahead of this year’s Great British Beach Clean, taking place from Friday 18th – Sunday 27th September, the Marine Conservation Society is sharing letters, poems and artwork submitted to its Post to our Coast initiative. Beginning with the words ‘Dear Future Ocean’, the submissions reveal a shared concern about pollution and marine litter – but also a determination to protect the ocean for the future.
One contributor wrote to the sea: “I don’t want my children to live in a dead world, I want them to see the diversity, the colour, the brilliance that I see whenever I step foot on your edges.”
The message continued: “If we all do a small bit, every bottle collected from a beach and recycled is another bottle that isn’t going to poison you. And if we all did that, collected a bottle? 8 billion bottles will make a difference.”
For many of those who took part, marine litter was a key concern. Their messages reflect growing fears about the impact of pollution on marine wildlife and whether future generations will be able to enjoy the same healthy, vibrant ocean that people experience today.
Young people from Stitch-up CIC in Leeds shared the simple but powerful message: “Litter doesn’t belong in the ocean.” The children at the craft club submitted images of marine life and pollution – see images here. Marine litter can cause injury, suffering and death when animals become entangled in or ingest debris.
Every year, thousands of Marine Conservation Society volunteers from across the UK clean beaches and record every piece of litter they find along a 100-metre stretch of coastline. Last year, volunteers collected and recorded over 600,000 pieces of rubbish with the charity’s annual State of our Beaches report in March showing on average volunteers found 14 pieces of litter for every metre of beach surveyed.
Around a third of the charity’s annual beach litter data comes from volunteers taking part in September’s Great British Beach Clean. The evidence collected has helped support campaigns for measures to reduce marine litter, including action on single-use items such as plastic straws and wet wipes. The charity hopes to continue to demonstrate the prevalence of drinks-related litter, like plastic bottles and cans, with the upcoming Deposit Return Schemes set to start in October 2026 across the UK.
Lizzie Price, Beachwatch Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “The messages people have sent to the future ocean are incredibly powerful. They show how deeply people care about the sea and how much they fear for the world that future generations will inherit.
“But concern on its own isn’t enough. The future of our ocean is shaped by the decisions we make today – and everyone has a role to play. The Great British Beach Clean is a simple way for people to turn their hopes into action. By spending a few hours cleaning and surveying a beach, volunteers are not only removing litter but creating the evidence we need to push for lasting change.”
Alongside fears about pollution and marine litter, the Post to our Coast submissions also contained messages of hope.
One 19-year-old contributor wrote: “I hope when people are able to visit you in the future that they can do so safely, that they’re still able to walk along the coast, smell the seaside, and feel a sense of calmness, connectedness, and one with nature. I hope that they are able to visit with loved ones and make memories.”
They added: “My hope for the future is that my children, their children, and their children are able to have the benefit and the joy of being beside the ocean, that the ocean stays, becomes cleaner, healthier, and safer for all the creatures who live in it.”
The Marine Conservation Society has run litter surveys for over 30 years, and this year holidaycottages.co.uk are a supporting sponsor of the Great British Beach Clean.
Kieran Keohane, Head of Sustainability at holidaycottages.co.uk, said, “We’re incredibly proud to be sponsoring the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean. With over half of our cottages located by the coast and coastal bookings comprising 57% of all bookings last year, we’re naturally passionate about protecting UK coastlines, and we want to do our bit by shining a spotlight on the need for collective action.
“This September, from Friday 18th to Sunday 27th, we’ll be supporting around 500 beach cleaning events where close to 6,000 people will endeavour to stop as much litter from entering our oceans as possible. This marine litter data collection is vital to the continued health of our coastlines, and we’re honoured to be partnering with the Marine Conservation Society to effect real change.”
The Marine Conservation Society is urging people to join a beach clean, organise their own event or take part in the Great British Beach Clean. To find out more information visit www.mcsuk.org/join-a-beach-clean
