We are thrilled to announce that our Coastal Fountain Fund is now open for applications. The fund, which began in 2020 has re-opened to applicants who want to install a water bottle refill station in a busy or environmentally important coastal location. Since the fund began we have funded fountains in a diverse range of locations including:
Camber Sands in East Sussex
Portstewart Strand in County Londonderry
Blackhead Path in Whitehead near Belfast
Ballygally Beach in Northern Ireland
Fife’s Coastal Path in Scotland
Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve in Lincolnshire
Scarborough Beach in North Yorkshire
East Cost of Alderney in the Channel Islands
Croyde beach in North Devon
The fund aims to tackle the increasing problem of plastic bottles left behind along the coasts as marine litter, which damage the marine environment and the species that call it home. It is anticipated that the provision of the water refill stations will significantly reduce the numbers of non-reusable plastic drinks bottles on our beaches. In fact, research suggests that providing more free drinking water in public spaces could lead to a 65% reduction in the use of plastic water bottles.
The fund is sponsored by the specialist international distribution and services group, Bunzl plc, who are supporting this work as part of their response to the plastic challenge. The issue remains widespread on UK beaches despite the rising awareness around the dangers of single-use plastic.
James Pitcher, Head of Sustainability at Bunzl plc said, “We know that our customers, suppliers and the societies in which our businesses operate around the world all want to find ways to protect our environment and to make better use of natural resources. That’s why we’re delighted to be supporting this initiative and are looking forward to seeing water bottle refill stations installed around the UK coast.”
The Sea-Changers Coastal Fountain Fund 2022 is now inviting applications from around the UK and will remain open to funding requests until the closing date 13th February 2022. Each applicant can bid for up to £2,000 to fund one fountain. Full details on how to apply and the funding criteria can be found here.