A stunning piece of sand art has appeared on a beautiful Welsh beach. The artwork was created on Thursday at Penbryn Beach in Ceredigion and aims to inspire the public to keep beaches tidy and to use less plastic.
It was created by Welsh artist Rachel Shiamh with the aim of highlighting the importance of enjoying the Welsh coastline and ensuring that other generations continue to enjoy it by keeping oceans and communities as plastic-free as possible. To get the latest What's On newsletters from WalesOnline, click here.
The sand art, which depicts a snapshot of the Welsh coast, was done to celebrate World Refill Day, which took place across the world on Thursday. The day’s key message is to eliminate single-use plastics, and one way of achieving that is by using reusable water bottles, which can actually be refilled at more than 600 different locations along the Wales Coast Path.
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“This artwork is part of a world-wide campaign to inspire and empower people to live with less plastic by connecting them to places they can eat, drink and shop with less waste,” said Natalie Fée, CEO and founder of City to Sea, the not-for-profit organisation behind World Refill Day.
“The Refill Revolution is happening in Wales and we’re working with local businesses, tourist attractions and community groups to ensure it’s accessible to residents and visitors alike. There are few places more beautiful than the Welsh coast and few things more upsetting than seeing plastic pollution ruin such a beautiful place. Together we can and we will put an end to plastic pollution.”
City to Sea has partnered with National Trust Cymru - which looks after the beach at Penbryn - Ceredigion Council and Wales Coast Path as it aims to promote sustainability along the Welsh coast.
Rebecca Williams, assistant director at National Trust Cymru, said: “As custodians of 157 miles of the Welsh coast, we are proud to be supporting City to Sea, Wales Coast Path and Ceredigion Council in encouraging everyone to leave no trace when visiting, especially during the path’s tenth anniversary year. Read here about the park that's having to stay closed because of pollution.
“To further support World Refill Day, 10 National Trust Cymru cafés have been added to the Refill App. And while we’ve been offering free water for several years, being listed on the app means visitors will be able to find free water at the click of a button, as well as receiving a 25p discount on hot drinks when bringing their own reusable cups.”
Clive Davies, Ceredigion Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for regeneration and economy, said: “Ceredigion Council is proud of the success of the Wales Coast Path which has quickly established an international reputation over the last 10 years, attracting new visitors to the area, extending the season and contributing to the development of a sustainable visitor economy. It is also great to see businesses embracing the potential of the path and contributing to its sustainable management through supporting voluntary initiatives.”
Eve Nicholson, from the marketing team for Wales Coast Path, said: “As we come together to celebrate our tenth anniversary year, there has never been a better time to promote sustainability along the path - in order to preserve this national treasure for another ten years and beyond. The Wales Coast Path logo is widely recognised in Wales and the wider UK, but it’s wonderful to see it further brought to life in the name of sustainability - as a cause so close to our hearts along the 870-mile coastline of Wales.”
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