BEACH champions across Cornwall, including Bude, are celebrating brilliant news as 13 hoist either, or both, a world-renowned Blue Flag or Seaside award motif into the sky above their area.

For the fourth year running, Rock-based Sharp’s Brewery has helped ensure that Cornish beaches are the best in the world, continually stepping up to ensure the county has more iconic Blue Flags and Seaside awards flying over the coastline than any other part of the UK.

Sharp’s sponsorship provides the funding for Cornwall Council to make the applications and work with the communities who deliver environmental initiatives, all of which make this fantastic achievement possible.

Surrounded by rugged wild beauty at its home in North Cornwall, multi-award winning Sharp’s Brewery is continually giving back to the coast that inspires its creativity, providing vital funding for the 2018 Blue Flag and Seaside award applications, in Cornwall and beyond. Over £32,000 towards the costs of these applications, and other vital Blue Flag related projects, has been provided over four years as well as other related programmes such as Beach Care’s ‘beach battalion squad’.

The iconic Blue Flags, an international quality mark for beaches, reassure visitors and locals alike that Cornwall’s key areas are clean, safe and recommended, boosting tourism, business and helping inspire return visits. Blue Flags and Seaside awards are only awarded to coastal destinations that boast the highest qualities of water, facilities, safety, keep clean programmes, environmental education and management.

Keep Britain Tidy, the organisation responsible for the awards in the UK, announced on May 17 that 13 beaches in Cornwall have been awarded either one, or both of the status marks. These include 13 Seaside awards and seven Blue Flags, making Cornwall a great destination for beach goers and ocean adventurers to visit all year round. Some beaches have received both Blue Flag and Seaside awards to achieve this number.

Thanks to all the hard work of the local beach champions, Cornwall Council and the funding from Sharp’s Brewery, the iconic Blue Flags, and Seaside award flags, will fly over Widemouth Bay, Gyllyngvase in Falmouth, Porthmeor in St Ives, Polzeath, Porthtowan, Trevone Bay and now Great Western in Newquay. Porth in Newquay, Summerleaze and Crooklets, Perranporth, Porthminster in St Ives, Sennen Cove and the Blue Flag winners have been awarded Seaside awards again this year.

Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for environment and public protection, Sue James, welcomed the Cornish Blue Flag and Seaside awards. She said: “Our success in being awarded so many Blue Flag and Seaside awards confirm what we who live here already know — that Cornish beaches are among the best in the world.

“I want to thank all those people in communities across Cornwall, who have given their time and dedication to looking after our beautiful beaches. They should all be rightly proud of these awards. Local bathing champions and beach ‘guardians’ who raise awareness about marine litter and those who organise beach cleans all play a really valuable role in helping us to protect and maintain Cornwall’s reputation as a great place to live and a wonderful place to visit. I also want to thank Sharp’s Brewery who once again played a key role in sponsoring the Blue Flag and Seaside awards applications.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “It is fantastic news for Cornwall’s holiday-makers, overseas visitors, residents and businesses that we have been able to award an amazing 20 flags to the county’s beaches this year. The support from Sharp’s Brewery is invaluable in supporting both Cornwall’s beaches and volunteers, and the Blue Flag more widely — which improves the quality of England’s coastline and promotes our best beaches.

“The success of Cornwall’s beaches in reaching the very high standards of both awards are a real 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.”

The team behind Widemouth Bay-based environmental organisation Widemouth Task Force, have said: “Widemouth successfully receiving the prestigious Blue Flag award and the Seaside award is a huge pat on the back to all the Widemouth Task Force volunteers and to everyone involved in helping to keep Widemouth beautiful and somewhere locals can be proud of. Loving where we live!”

James Nicholls, senior brand manager at Sharp’s Brewery, said: “With Sharp’s Brewery being based in Rock, North Cornwall, the coastline and our beaches are deeply important to us. We are delighted to have supported our hard working beach champions and local volunteers, as well as Cornwall Council, and BeachCare (part of Keep Britain Tidy) over the last four years with our support now totalling in excess of £32,000.

“The team at Sharp’s fully appreciate the hard work and dedication that goes into gaining, and keeping, so many iconic Cornish Blue Flag and Seaside awards. Thanks and congratulations to all of these 13 beaches and to all involved behind the scenes, from us all at Sharp’s Brewery.”