Surfers Against Sewage is an environmental charity that has been protecting the UK’s inland and coastal waters for 35 years.
The focus of our work is on Sewage Pollution and Plastic Pollution.
We enable people-powered change by creating highly effective volunteer programmes which have far-reaching positive environmental and social impact.
Across a range of transformative programmes, we see tangible, measurable results from an incredibly activated community of thousands of people nationwide.
If you wish to support us, you can make a direct donation here
(or alternatively get in touch with us below, we’d be delighted to hear from you)
Click here for our Impact Report 2024
MILLION MILE CLEAN
Up to 100,000 volunteers per year cleaning-up plastic pollution from our environment
PLASTIC FREE SCHOOLS
Providing environmental education and reducing single-use plastics in over 3,900 schools across the UK.
PLASTIC FREE COMMUNITIES
Reducing single-use plastics in over 622 towns/villages and over 5,800 businesses across the UK.
PROTECTING WILD WATERS
Supporting over 70 communities in towns/villages to apply for official bathing water designation to improve water quality.
REGIONAL REPS
Highly trained SAS ambassadors mobilising their local communities on all aspects of our work.
SAFER SEAS & RIVERS SERVICE APP
A free sewage pollution alert app keeping water users safe from swimming in sewage.
DATA HQ
Launched in 2025, the website is a hub for all information on water quality, and is the only available resource that shows real-time information on sewage spills for England, Wales and Scotland as well as historical data. It also provides shocking statistics on where and when people are getting sick from sewage pollution.
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 Emily van de Geer (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
