Blue Flag success for beaches
Thu, May 25, 2017
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has much to celebrate following the recent Blue Flag and Seaside Awards.
The event, organised by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, celebrates excellence in beach facilities, environmental management and water quality.
The Borough collected a total of nine awards.
The Mayor, Alderman Maura Hickey, said: “The Causeway Coast and Glens is a fantastic place to visit and these awards demonstrate how much work has gone into promoting our safe and enjoyable beaches. Keeping our beaches clean is of the utmost importance to us, therefore, I am very proud that Downhill, Benone, West Strand, Whiterocks and Ballycastle Marina have all achieved a Blue Flag, demonstrating a commitment to protecting the coastal environment whilst also offering educational activities.
“Congratulations are also extended to Castlerock Beach, Portrush East Strand, Ballycastle Beach and Waterfoot Beach who were awarded a Seaside Award which is the national standard for beaches in the UK. I am delighted that the hard work of Council staff is being recognised and that we can offer residents and visitors a quality coastal experience.”
Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful is an environmental charity working towards the vision of a beautiful Northern Ireland by inspiring people to take responsibility for creating a cleaner and more sustainable community.
The awards aim to showcase the natural beauty of our coastline and improve the overall visitor experience of incoming tourists.
Tony Wilcox, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said: “To help everyone find their ideal award winning beach or marina, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful have created a visitor map highlighting the facilities offered at each beach which also includes suggestions for activities or attractions to make for a memorable day out. The guide will be available online and via all Tourist Information Centres.”