Devon holiday parks clean up coastline in annual Great British beach clean

Over 40 team members and local volunteers recently took part in the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean, organised by Ruda and Bideford Bay Holiday Parks in Devon. Held between September 20 - 29th, the nationwide event saw thousands of volunteers across the UK flock to the shores to take part in a week-long coastal clean-up. 

Across Devon, two bags of litter were collected, weighing in at a total of 4.2kg. Now in its 31st year, data from the Great British Beach Clean helps to further the vital conservation work of the Marine Conservation Society, the UK’s leading ocean membership charity. 

Owned by Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s leading holiday park operator, Ruda and Bideford Bay Holiday Parks were two of 22 Parkdean Resorts parks across England, Scotland and Wales to take part in the beach cleans throughout the week. A total of 302kg of litter was collected by over 250 volunteers during the 23 beach and inland cleans.  

Jane Bates, Director of Sustainability and Procurement at Parkdean Resorts, said: “We’re proud to once again support the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean, and are thankful to every one of the generous volunteers who worked with us to make these incredible results possible. 

“Initiatives like this support our commitment to caring for our parks, people, and planet, while also giving back to our local communities. We will continue to work hard throughout the year to keep our surrounding areas clean and inviting for the community along with the millions of holidaymakers who visit our parks every year.” 

Clare Trotman, Beachwatch Officer at the Marine Conservation Society, said, "We are grateful for Parkdean Resorts’ support in organising many events as part of this year’s Great British Beach Clean. By holding beach cleans around the UK, they will help us to collect data from our beaches on what litter is polluting our seas. Without our volunteers heading down to the beach to collect and record litter, we wouldn’t be able to do the work we do. Their hard work allows us to campaign for a healthier, better protected ocean." 

Taking part in the beach clean for the tenth consecutive year, Parkdean Resorts ensures its inland park locations and central offices also have the chance to participate, by hosting a range of litter picking and canal path clean ups around the local communities.  

Parkdean Resorts’ 66 unique and award-winning parks are set in 3,500 acres of land across the UK, including forests, peatbogs, rivers, beaches, and headlands in some of the UK’s finest beauty spots. The company recently published its second annual ESG report, celebrating the progress made in its pledges to care for its parks, people, and planet.