Keep Britain Tidy has today revealed the country’s best beaches with announcement of Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for 2018 – and Sandgate is on the list!

This year environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy is presenting 190 awards to England’s very best beaches, including 65 international Blue Flags and 125 Seaside Awards (eight more than last year), with 42 beaches achieving both awards. This includes the awards to Sandgate beach, near Folkestone in Kent.

Sandgate beach has won the Seaside Award for 2018 – for the sixth year running. It joins the country’s very best beaches, from popular holiday spots to quiet, more hidden-away spots. What unites them all is knowing that they are clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as the tough international bathing water quality standards.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said:

“The success of the 148 beaches in reaching the very high standards demanded by both awards is testament to all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve our beaches – from beach managers and volunteers to local people and businesses.

“When you enjoy a trip to a beach flying an international Blue Flag or Seaside Award, you know you are on one of the safest, cleanest and very best in the country.”

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity that cares for the environment on your doorstep. We work to eliminate littering, reduce waste and improve public space. We run programmes including Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our programmes and campaigns visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a non-governmental and non-profit organisation, launched the Blue Flag programme in 1987. Keep Britain Tidy administers the scheme in England. To be awarded a Blue Flag, beaches must comply with a number of criteria covering environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, safety and services.

The Seaside Award is run by Keep Britain Tidy and recognises and rewards beaches in England that achieve the highest standards of beach management and, in the case of bathing beaches, meet the required standards for water quality.