Litter Free Coast & Sea Somerset, the community campaign to improve bathing water in Burnham-on-Sea, is urging visitors and holidaymakers visiting Burnham-on-Sea to feed the bin, not the local seagulls this summer.
The school holidays are now in full swing and families have been making their way to Burnham-on-Sea to enjoy a picnic on the beach or have a delicious portion of chips at the great food outlets along the seafront. But isn’t it a pain when a seagull sneakily steals a chip out of your hands! Not only are gulls dangerous when they dive, they end up pooing in the sea where we paddle and swim. When the Environment Agency measure the amount of bacteria in bathing waters to determine how clean they are, bird poo can be one source of bacteria.
Harriet, Litter Free Coast & Sea Somerset Coordinator, said
“The problem with the single message of ‘please do not feed the gulls’ is it doesn’t give people the reason ‘why’. The campaign aims to share the message that feeding gulls has many negative effects and its best to feed the bin, not the birds.”
The campaign, planned for the first week of August, is joining forces with local take away outlets, cafes, pubs and caravan sites in Burnham-on-Sea as they are standing up to seagulls and encouraging their customers to feed the bin and not the seagulls. The food establishments and campsites will be putting up eye catching, vibrant posters and stickers in their windows and on their fast food packaging all with the same message ‘Don’t feed the locals’. The posters will be explaining ‘why’ people shouldn’t feed them and how to avoid a gull attack.
Keith from Brit Chips shares his views on why he decided to get involved “quote from Keith”
So if you are heading to the seaside in the holidays, please don’t feed the locals and make sure you bin any leftover food. Remember, the birds aren’t hungry they’re just greedy and feeding them your food can will only encourage dangerous behaviour. Please help make a difference to the water and beach and help us achieve cleaner seas and beaches.
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Notes to editors
For more information please contact Harriet Yates-Smith:
Email: yates-smithh@cardiff.ac.uk
Mobile: 07973 176961
Office : 029 20 874713
Twitter: LFCSSomerset
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/litterfreesomerset/
Litter Free Coast and Sea is an ongoing campaign originating in Dorset & East Devon, which aims to reduce the social, economic and environmental impacts of marine and beach litter, and improve and maintain bathing water quality by preventing litter from getting to our coast in the first place.
Litter Free Coast and Sea Somerset is led by the Severn Estuary Partnership (SEP), hosted by Cardiff University and funded by Wessex Water, the Environment Agency and Sedgemoor District Council. SEP is an independent estuary-wide initiative working with local and national stakeholders in promoting a sustainable approach to the planning, management, and development of the estuary for all who live and work here now, and for future generations. For more information please visit the website http://www.severnestuary.net/
