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Coastal communities network meets to discuss water quality and a coastal arts festival
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) national network for coastal communities, met to discuss water quality and a coastal festival.
At the meeting on 19 June 2024, the network was joined by Kirsty Davies, the community water quality manager at Surfers Against Sewage. She delivered a presentation on the issue of water quality and highlighted bathing water as a crucial solution for improvement. She also detailed the Surfers Against Sewage's Citizen Science Programme, which involves community volunteers mirroring the Environment Agency's water quality testing regime but with more frequent sampling, allowing for better monitoring and quicker response to water quality issues.
The network also heard from Ali Pretty, the founder of Kinetika, who delivered a presentation on the Beach of Dreams Coastal Festival. This UK-wide coastal festival programme, set to run from 1 May to 1 June 2025, aims to celebrate and highlight the nation's coastal communities' beauty, diversity, and cultural richness. The festival seeks to foster a deeper connection between people and their coastal environments through various events, including art installations, storytelling sessions, workshops, and community-led activities.
The next network meeting is scheduled for 3 September 2024.