For 36 years, Surfers Against Sewage has been fighting for pollution‑free UK waters.
We focus on sewage and plastic pollution because we see and feel its impacts first‑hand.
By empowering volunteers, we turn public concern into collective action with far‑reaching environmental and social benefits (you can read all about our impact here)
MILLION MILE CLEAN
Over 150,000 volunteers per year running plastic pollution clean-ups in their local area
PLASTIC FREE SCHOOLS
Environmental education and reducing plastic use in over 3,600 schools across the UK
PLASTIC FREE COMMUNITIES
Over 6,000 businesses and 640 towns/villages across the UK reducing their plastic usage
PROTECTING WILD WATERS
Supporting communities with official bathing water applications to legally improve water quality
REGIONAL REPS
A network of trained SAS ambassadors highlighting our work in their local communities
SAFER SEAS & RIVERS SERVICE APP
A free sewage pollution alert app that keeps over 387,000 users safe and informed in the water.
DATA HQ
The ultimate hub for water quality data (launched in 2025) showing the operational status of sewage overflow pipes at over 17,900 sites.
If you wish to support us, you can make a direct donation here
(or alternatively, get in touch with us below, we’d love to hear from you)
We’re supported by Trusts and Foundations of all sizes, and work closely with trustees and grant managers to identify ways of supporting that meet their aims and objectives.
If you’d like to find out more about some of the ways in which we work with grant-making organisations, or you wish to invite us to make an application to a grant round, please contact us.
Please contact Carol O’Hanlon (Senior Trusts & Foundations Officer), via the link below for more information:
Email our Trusts & Foundations team
We work with wealth management advisers to help them identify and deliver their clients’ philanthropic wishes.
Please contact Katie Mosses (Senior Philanthropy & Partnerships Manager) via the link below for more information:
Email our Philanthropy & Partnerships team
Equivalency Determination enables USA donors to support our work
With your support, we aim to save our waterways (inland to coast) by delivering our ambitious, impactful national programmes and empower communities to take action. We are still a grassroots charity delivering big impact. We work hard to build a diverse range of funding sources and to secure project-based funding, but unrestricted funding from small Trusts & Foundations remains critical to Surfers Against Sewage. Without small-to-medium grants we wouldn’t be able to deliver the scale of impact for marine environments and communities across the UK.
Ways to make a grant
We understand that certain projects resonate more with funders, or that grant conditions require funds to be aligned to project delivery. Our team delivers a range of engaging programmes across our core areas of Water Quality (sewage pollution) and Plastic Pollution. Our team would be pleased to talk through our programmes and help identify which areas align with your funding goals.
Contact us.
We are grateful for the significant support from these major funders
