Scotland's Beach Awards open for nominations
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Applications are now open for Scotland's Beach Awards 2023.
Each year environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful celebrates the enormous efforts of staff and volunteers across the country's beaches and are now accepting applications for the accolades.
Last year the charity marked 30 years since the first two beaches in Scotland received awards – Gullane Bents in East Lothian and St Andrews West Sands in Fife – with 53 beaches being recognised.
Now, Keep Scotland Beautiful wants to recognise even more beaches and is calling on coastal community groups, beach managers and local authorities to make applications for their local beach.
Jamie Ormiston, awards officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “It was fantastic to celebrate 30 years of beach awards last year with more than 50 beaches and this year we’re hoping for more.
“Scotland’s Beach Awards are an excellent opportunity to thank and support those who do so much to protect, maintain and enhance our coastline.
“If you’re proud of your local beach and want to showcase its qualities, I encourage you to apply. Scotland’s Beach Awards provide a great framework to support communities and beach managers giving them the opportunity to be recognised for the good work they are doing."
Scotland’s Beach Awards celebrate those who manage beaches around Scotland’s coast. Award-winning beaches are assessed against a range of criteria including access, safety, cleanliness and community involvement and is open to all beach types, including those not designated as a bathing water.
Award-winning beaches demonstrate excellent beach management and environmental best practice, and the maintenance of high standards.
This means that visitors can chose where they want to visit with the knowledge that the beach is being managed for people and the environment.
The awards provide a national framework for best practice in environmental management and applicants receive detailed reports with guidance on how to improve their beaches for visitors and locals to enjoy.
By supporting staff and volunteers to continually improve their beaches through the award framework the charity aims to celebrate excellent beach management and inspire everyone to take care of the environment.
Keep Scotland Beautiful also offers applicants the chance to network with each other, sharing challenges, successes and providing a forum for discussion and support.
Award-winning beaches will also receive opportunities to network and develop strong partnerships with organisations occupying the marine space as well as expert advice to improve blue spaces for the benefit of people’s health and wellbeing.
The deadline for applications for Scotland’s Beach Awards is Friday, March 31. Visit www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/beach to read the criteria and find out more information.
