Campaign Update

2008 is almost over and SAS has had a hectic and extremely successful campaigning year thanks to your continued support. We've got some great new campaigns ready to be launched in 2009, but before that, we'd like to remind you what we've achieved in 2008 with your help.

Last year's Christmas break was cut short with news that 11 shipping containers had been lost overboard off the Cornish coast and tens of thousands of plastic packs started washing up on South West beaches. We took some of these packs back to the shipping agent and kick started their investigation.

This might have been the motivation behind our most successful spring beach clean ever, nearly 100 people turned up in February to help clean Porthtowan. Also in February we were awarded the Best Campaign Award from Coast Magazine.

Then we received the great news that our campaign against ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth had been won and the Forth was safe from this potential pollutant.

This victory was closely followed by another two major campaign victories. Firstly, the Secretary of State for the Environment agreed with SAS, that Tintagel and Bossiney needed at least secondary level sewage treatment. Secondly, NorthumbrianWater was refused permission to reduce levels of treatment at popular recreational waters in the North East outside the bathing season. This was a particularly significant victory for us, not only because it will protect hundreds of water users in the North East, but also because we were aware of water companies all over the UK watching the outcome of this test case.

Mid 2008 saw elections in Guernsey and we made sure that Guernsey's raw sewage problem became one of the hot election issues. We were successful in getting the majority of delegates to commit to supporting full sewage treatment and we're hopeful a positive end to this campaign will come sooner rather than later.

As always, we made every effort to come to a beach near you. Our Grass Roots Tour and Barefoot Friend Beach Cleaning Tour stopped off at Porthtowan, Braunton, Porthcawl, St Davids, Abersoch, Brighton, Bournemouth, Cromer, Tynemouth, Glasgow and Portrush. These tours are a great opportunity for us to meet our supporters and learn about pollution issues around the country. Both tours will be back in 2009, venues and dates TBC.

Throughout the year we delivered SAS talks at festivals, fundraisers, schools and universities and we also launched our first free online animated Key Stage 2 resource, complimenting our successful Key Stage 3 free animated resource.

Our mermaid's tears campaign stepped up a gear with the release of an undercover film highlighting mermaid's tears on factory floors, in factory drains, emphasizing the link from factories to the beach.

The film can be viewed here.

This can be seen on the all new SAS TV, as can all our campaign videos and more. The year ended with a mermaid's tears victory when we persuaded one of the largest plastic manufacturers in the South West to implement improvements leading to zero pellet loss factories.

2008 had other victories, for example on cotton buds and climate change. Check the websites archive for the full list.

Finally, we were sad to see Richard Hardy step down as Campaign Director, but stoked to welcome Hugo Tagholm as the new Executive Director, and long time SAS campaigner Andy Cummins as the new Campaign Manager. The new team is raring to go in 2009 with some great new campaigns and hopefully some victories with the ongoing campaigns. In 2009 there will be lots of opportunities for you to help us with these campaigns. Your support is vital as it enables us to punching above our weight on your behalf!

Have a fantastic festive season and we'll hopefully see you in 2009.

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