[Surfers Against Sewage logo <[link removed]>] Hi John, ‘Tis the season to get outdoors with loved ones and stand up for the places we love. 🌊 This month, we’ve packed your newsletter with ways to take action, stay informed, and feel inspired over the festive break. Dive into: 👀 A taste of what’s to come with next year’s [elections in Scotland & Wales <[link removed]>] 🌊 An update on the bio-beads scandal and [how you can help <[link removed]>] 💪 A fun and impactful way to [protect the outdoors <[link removed]>] this holiday season 🎥 A short but epic [film <[link removed]>] that’ll get you fired up for those festive dips! [paddle out protest <[link removed]>] Upcoming elections in Scotland & Wales The 2026 Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd elections are a BIG opportunity to demand real action on sewage and plastic pollution. Our coasts, rivers and lochs should be safe places for people and wildlife alike - but right now, they’re under threat. We’ve worked with communities and grassroots orgs in these nations to create bespoke manifestos for [Scotland <[link removed]>]
and [Wales <[link removed]>] that outline bold solutions for protecting wild waters, holding polluters accountable, and cutting plastic pollution. If you’re based in Scotland or Wales, these are valuable tools you can use to start conversations with candidates, hold politicians accountable, and mobilise your communities ahead of the elections. [Read our manifestos <[link removed]>] [Picking up bio-beads <[link removed]>] An update on the bio-beads scandal This year, millions of tiny plastic bio‑beads have washed up on the South East coastline, from Camber Sands to Rye Harbour. We also saw spills of plastic discs in South Wales. Local volunteers have been tirelessly clearing them in efforts to prevent more devastation to our environment and wildlife. But this isn’t new. [Communities across the UK <[link removed]>] have been documenting and cleaning up bio‑bead pollution for decades. And it's local people who are almost always the first to spot the pollution, raise the alarm, and clean it up - rather than the companies responsible. Even now, investigations continue. But water companies have been slow to act, with the likes of Southern Water ‘ [not fully co-operating <[link removed]>] ’ with pollution spill inquiries. Shocker . 👉 Spotted bio‑beads or other bio-media? Fill out our survey! Your observations are helping us reveal the full scale of the problem, drive accountability and push for systemic change. Please wear gloves when picking up bio-beads or bio-media, as they can carry harmful bacteria. [Fill out the survey <[link removed]>] [Beach cleaning <[link removed]>] Get outside & make a difference this Christmas 'Tis the season of giving back, so why not take part in a Million Mile Clean this Christmas? Whether you’re by the coast, in the countryside, or on your local streets, plastic pollution is everywhere - and every piece picked up helps us expose the worst polluters. A huge thank you if you’ve already joined a clean this year! Make sure you’ve [logged every action <[link removed]>] , big or small, so your impact adds to our data collection. Together, we can show the power of collective action for the places we love. Keep an eye out in the new year for our 2025 wrap-up and get ready for our Spring Cleans - dates coming soon. 🙌 [Join an outdoor clean <[link removed]>]
[Thames swim film <[link removed]>] Have you seen the Thames Swim film yet? It might not be a Christmas film, but this short documentary will get you fired up for your festive dip! 🏊 The film follows eight elite swimmers as they take on a 200km relay of the River Thames to expose the dirty truth about the sewage crisis. It’s a gruelling adventure that shows the pure grit of open water swimmers, along with the grim reality of water quality in the UK.
If you haven’t watched the film yet (or want to experience it all again) - dive on in! 👇 [Watch the film <[link removed]>]
[Surfers Against Sewage Logo Footer <[link removed]>]
Surfers Against Sewage is a national marine conservation and campaigning charity that inspires, unites, and
empowers communities to take action to protect oceans, beaches, waves, and wildlife.
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Tel: 01872 553 001 <Surfers Against Sewage Wheal Kitty Workshops, St Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0RD Tel: 01872 553 001 Surfers Against Sewage is a national marine conservation and campaigning charity that inspires, unites, and empowers communities to take action to protect oceans, beaches, waves, and wildlife.>] [Preferences <[link removed]>] | [Unsubscribe <[link removed]>]