Beach Cleaning With The Marine Conservation Society

This year, we're raising funds for the Marine Conservation Society through sales of our Maren Tee. To kick off this charity collaboration, we went on location to join volunteers on a charity beach clean!

What is The Marine Conservation Society?

For more than 30 years, the Marine Conservation Society has been the voice of the sea, defending our coastal habitats and species. It's the UK's leading ocean membership charity, and it works tirelessly with communities, businesses and governments to help restore our ocean’s health, from cleaning beaches to shaping sustainable policies.

Our ocean covers over 70% of our planet. It provides more than half the oxygen we breathe and absorbs nearly a third of our carbon emissions. But today, it’s in poor health because of human activity. The Marine Conservation Society is determined to change this, working with communities, businesses and governments to advocate for change and carry out practical conservation activities.

The internationally recognised work of the charity has significantly contributed to the creation of marine protected areas around the UK, bans and charges to reduce litter, and influenced supermarkets to sell more sustainable seafood options via its Good Fish Guide. There is still so much more to do, but the Marine Conservation Society is determined to make a positive difference to our ocean by supporting our coasts, wildlife and communities.

The ocean gives back to us by improving our physical and mental health when we connect with it. The Marine Conservation Society believes that together we can achieve our vision of seas full of life, where nature flourishes and people thrive.

Volunteering at a Marine Conservation Society Beach Clean

As part of our collaboration with the Marine Conservation Society, we took part in one of their beach cleans to see first-hand the important work they facilitate.

According to a study conducted by the Ocean Conservancy, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, with a significant portion washing up on beaches worldwide.

During the beach clean, volunteers log what they collect, and this data is then used as evidence when campaigning for new legislation such as the plastic bag charge. Since the 5p charge for plastic bags was introduced, they’ve seen an impressive 80% drop in plastic bags found on UK beaches, which just shows the impact collecting this data can have.

Everything we collected was ocean waste that had washed up on the beach. We found toys, wrappers, plastic bottles, fishing ropes and loads of tiny pieces of plastic. Some things we even had to dig out because they were buried in the sand!

Taking part in one of the Marine Conservation Society beach clean volunteering days gave me a real insight into where the donations from sales of our Maren 'Make a Splash' Tee will be going. It was astonishing to see the amount of rubbish that had washed up on the beach, and it's clear why the work the Marine Conservation Society is doing is so important. The data that is collected during these beach cleans is vital for their campaigns to implement new legislation. It’s great to see the success they’ve had so far, for example, the plastic bag charge, which has seen an impressive 80% drop in plastic bags found on UK beaches and just shows the impact collecting this data can have!

Lucy, Joanie's Sustainability Champion

The Maren Tee

Make a splash! We're pledging to donate £5 from the sale of every Maren Tee to the Marine Conservation society, aiding their mission to make the ocean cleaner, better-protected and healthier.

We are delighted to be supported by Joanie, a clothing brand that is working tirelessly on sustainability. It's inspiring to see fashion companies thinking about their impact and showing a commitment to improving the industry and protecting our seas.

Rosy, Marine Conservation Society Corporate Partnerships Officer

If you'd like to get involved with a Marine Conservation Society beach clean, they happen all over the country and they're always looking for new volunteers. Visit their website to find a beach clean near you, and shop the Maren Tee online now!