Blackpool News / Events Jamie Jewitt joins actress Roxanne Pallet to help clean up Blackpool beach 22 August 2017 by Visit Blackpool 87% of Brits are concerned by the use of plastic in the UK’s and 60% from the North West of England are willing to see a similar 5p plastic bag ‘charge’ applied to other single-use plastics* such as straws, bottles and cups, an Independet survey survey has found. The research highlights a a desire from the public to see behaviour change, as over eight million tonnes of plastic pollution continues to enter the ocean globally every year.** Championing the issue and asking people to become an #OceanHero, Love Island runner up and model Jamie Jewitt and actress Roxanne Pallett joined a 10 meter whale at Blackpool beach today to highlight the scale of the problem. The whale is made of plastic bags, bottles and other single-use plastics pulled from the ocean, beach cleans and local recycling plants and represents the same amount of plastic that pollutes the ocean every second**. The pair, who are both passionate about saving our oceans, joined an early morning beach clean with Blackpool council before handing out refillable water bottles and giving tips to members of the public on on how to reduce their own plastic use. Love Island runner up and model, James Jewitt, said: . “It’s hard to get your head round the effect we are having on the ocean until you see the plastic whale and realise that is how much plastic is being dumped in the ocean every second. That is terrifying and why I’m here in Blackpool supporting the Sky Ocean Rescue campaign. I love swimming and enjoying the beauty of our oceans and we are all putting that at risk. It’s not hard to make a change, it’s simple; get a refillable bottle or don’t take a straw it really doesn’t take much but if we all do it it will make a difference.” Actress Roxanne Pallett added: “I grew up coming to Blackpool at the weekend and on holiday, so this beach has a very special place in my heart. This morning I took part in a beach clean with the amazing team from Blackpool Council, who are out here every day, and I saw first-hand the rubbish that’s left on the beach. The Plastic Whale is a great reminder of the amount of plastics that get dumped in our oceans every second and the action we all need to take to save our oceans. We all need to act now to prevent further damage. ” The Plastic Whale Tour will travel through England, Wales and Scotland, visiting iconic beach and water front locations as well as city centres. The campaign will also give members of the public tips on small and easy changes - from using a refillable plastic bottle, to saying no to straws and plastic bags – helping reduce plastic consumption. Group Chief Executive of Sky, Jeremy Darroch, said, “Sky is truly committed to raising awareness and encouraging people to change the way they consume single-use plastics to help save our oceans. Research tells us that almost 90% of Brits are also concerned with plastic usage in the UK. Through the Plastic Whale Tour we want to highlight how easy it is to make small changes that can have a real and measurable impact.” Also joining the Plastic Whale tour in Blackpool, Stephanie Wyatt from LOVEmyBEACH, a campaign group aimed at inspiring communities in the north west to help improve the quality of the regions beaches and seas, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sky Ocean Rescue’s plastic whale to Blackpool today and to help raise awareness of the dangers of single use plastics on marine life. The LOVEmyBEACH campaign encourages individuals to rethink single use plastics and consider changes such as refillable water bottles, refusing a straw and plastic cutlery. “The local community have already taken big steps to improve their coast which is apparent with the arrival of Blackpool’s first Blue Flag beach in 2016. But the great thing about the Sky Ocean Rescue campaign is that is all about helping people realise that small, simple day to day decisions can have a big impact of the ocean.” Find out more about the Plastic Whale Tour and the issues affecting our oceans at the Sky Ocean Rescue Facebook page, @skyoceanrescue on Twitter, or visit skyoceanrescue.com.