As international Blue Flag award reaches its 38th year, the area’s best beaches are celebrating
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has today announced the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2025, and among them are Sandown of sites in Sandown Town
This year one of the beaches/sites to have met the high standard required to be presented with a Seaside Award is Sandown Beach
Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “In England we are lucky enough to have some of the best beaches in the world. It’s wonderful to see the flags flying proudly over Sandown Town Beaches, demonstrating their quality to residents and visitors alike.
“The awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach and site managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who should take pride today in their tireless efforts to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular blue spaces.
“Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards..”
The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and promoting the country’s best beaches.
Blue Flag, the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas, is an environmental education programme managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.
I and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.
Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.
Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:
- Safety and services, such as first aid, lifeguards where necessary
- Environmental information including displaying details about local eco systems
- Environmental management, including litter and waste.
- Water quality – Blue Flag beaches must meet the ‘excellent’ water quality standard as set out in the EU bathing water directive and Seaside Award winners must meet the ‘sufficient’ standard.
