Call for entries to national beach awards

AN ENVIRONMENT charity is encouraging councils, landowners and community groups to nominate the country's best beaches.

Keep Scotland Beautiful is inviting entries for the annual Scottish Beach Awards. The accolade celebrates well-kept beaches, including those not designated as official bathing waters.

The awards have been revamped for 2020, the Year of Coasts and Waters, and are a benchmark for environmental quality all along Scotland’s coastline as well as celebrating its beauty.

Katie Murray, community and place manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "Scotland’s Beach Awards is the only accreditation for beach management of its kind in Scotland. The award recognises our fabulous beaches and aims to drive up environmental standards along the coastline of our country for residents and visitors alike.

"I would encourage communities, organisations and local authorities from all across Scotland to enter, and make sure that we can celebrate their hard work in providing beach users with beautiful beaches – free of litter, boasting clean facilities and displaying information to help users make informed choices."

Beaches must meet a range of criteria, including beach safety, access and facilities, and cleanliness. The award is designed to complement work by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on bathing water quality.

It has been almost 30 years since Keep Scotland Beautiful began awarding Scottish beaches, and last year 61 received the accolade. Applications can be made by councils, community groups or other agencies at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/beach.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.