Annual Report 2023-2024
Our Mission:
Life’s a Beach is a charitable initiative founded by ProCook, a leading kitchenware retailer, with the mission to combat single-use plastics on British beaches and promote sustainable living through reusable alternatives. The charity was established by ProCook owner Daniel O’Neill, who was inspired to take meaningful action for a more sustainable future.
Plastic pollution is an escalating crisis. According to the Surfers Against Sewage Marine Litter Report (2014-2020) , single-use plastics account for an average of 49% of beach litter. Moreover, a plastic bottle discarded today could persist for 450 years in the marine environment ( Seas at Risk, 2017 ).
Life’s a Beach is dedicated to tackling the plastic pollution crisis through three core objectives: to act, educate, and encourage.
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ACT EDUCATE ENCOURAGE
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We achieve this mission through:
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Clean-Up Events : Organizing beach clean-ups in partnership with corporate groups, schools, universities, and like-minded organizations.
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Education : Supporting schools in eliminating single-use plastics by providing educational resources and Life’s a Beach products.
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Collaborations and Outreach : Partnering with key organizations to amplify our message and collectively drive positive change.
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Sustainable Product Range : Promoting reusable products through the Life’s a Beach range to reduce dependence on single-use plastics.
Funding:
The main source of funding continues to be via royalties on Life's A Beach products sold by ProCook since inception.
2024 Progress:
impact. We’ve engaged more volunteers than ever before, bringing together passionate individuals to drive our mission forward. Our programs have reached a record number of young people, inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards. With an increased number of beach cleans completed, we’ve made a tangible diUerence in protecting our coastlines. Additionally, we’ve strengthened collaborations and forged new connections with like-minded organizations, further amplifying our eUorts to safeguard the environment
Life’s a Beach Annual Report 2023/2024 Registered Charity Number: 1185046
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Activity:
In 2024, Life’s a Beach achieved remarkable progress, continuing its trajectory of year-on-year growth:
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We conducted 32 beach cleans, engaging three times the number of volunteers compared to 2022.
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Nearly double the amount of litter was collected compared to 2023, marking a significant step forwards in our efforts.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are confident in our ability to build on these impressive figures.
Our events are designed to bring together people from all cultures, ages, and backgrounds. Through these initiatives, we have strengthened collaborations with like-minded organizations, including Sea Keepers International , DEFRA , City to Sea , and others. By fostering these partnerships, we aim to expand our impact on the plastic pollution crisis and further raise awareness of this pressing environmental issue.
With an increased focus on engaging community groups, schools, educational societies, and corporate volunteers, we are fulfilling our charitable objective to educate and inspire action. Together, we can create a future free from single-use plastics and protect our environment for generations to come.
Social media reach has grown massively in all areas, with increased visitors to the website and improvements across all social media channels. These channels are vital to our mission of education and outreach, raising awareness about single-use plastic and the charity’s goals.
Life’s a Beach Annual Report 2023/2024 Registered Charity Number: 1185046
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We have expanded our educational schools programme, hosting a series of talks and workshops focused on raising awareness about single-use plastics and recycling. To enhance accessibility, we have invested in additional resources for our educational content. To date, we have completed nine school visits and partnered with eleven children’s extra-curricular groups to deliver these initiatives. As part of our efforts, we provide reusable water bottles to every school we visit, helping to reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles.
In line with our outreach and education mission, we have also engaged with colleges and universities nationwide. To date, we have conducted eighteen events, reaching a total of 1,048 students.
Additionally, we have made significant progress with our water dispenser scheme. This initiative allows large public venues to install water fountains, enabling the public to refill their bottles instead of using single-use plastics. Looking ahead, we plan to expand this programme in 2025 by introducing water dispensers in major shopping outlets.
In Conclusion:
Overall, the charity is in excellent shape, demonstrating consistent growth and success in achieving its mission. Our ongoing eUorts to educate and engage communities, coupled with innovative initiatives like the water dispenser scheme, reflect our commitment to reducing single-use plastics and promoting sustainable practices. As we move into 2025, we remain dedicated to building upon this strong foundation, continuously improving and expanding our impact. With clear goals and an unwavering focus, we are confident in our ability to flourish and make even greater strides toward our targets in the year ahead.
Life’s a Beach Annual Report 2023/2024 Registered Charity Number: 1185046
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Llfe's A Beach, th•rfty no. 1185046
PIOTESTO ThE R14AP4CIALSTAIEMEIITS
Donatlons from..
IO% OoTraiions frtyn Prt
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Ufe's A B&ith. thwlty no. 111%>46 'le'5 a 8each15 a rtwityset uptry wtt•ller Thrfook. toswK¥i ff•dk•iirmol ¥1• pl•rtksfrom Orh and •thfarKlry edwtth ol woducts •ThJ the lffyM•nte ol eradk•tlty strfe use pltkJ. Tho chadty wa5 5rt up lry Procwk l>•ftlel (yP4eMlfltt was Insplfed to t•&e •rtkn • brKKe 9Jth eronMeN. Acrordlrqto 5Lwftr$ 4n$1 M•rlr Utter Report, 2014.2010 Vlslon, SW use plastks make up a¥er4e 49% of i•ch lthr •hd i •$1( bott d15cavded on • th ifyJ•y ctyJld l•st 450ye•rs Ih erhlrofiment (Se t Rlsi Slwltrvse l¥a5tiE5. •nd M•rlne Emfjnmrneftt, 20171. Ne•thTall the 7 use tollee ¢upJ that •re used exh day do ett re¢yded d I¥. Lllt's• eexh Tr5dedkated towpwih¥ the mL%skn to reduce trse numbers thrwh 5cheM ¥thith IrKK#lt tduc•thyi. the ol rtusable wothJrts wwlsed bexh de•ns. Tht ¢h•rWs obleLtl4w •rn to xtto Waste from UK a¢lS WMI w•sitws, to•duut¢and fexh (Irtlol The ls• CKI- FtyJnd•kn, sot Upoh 2f Aw$¢ 2019. •rrtl 1> trTflt1uStlY¥thts ¥ rewwlbl• for pknnnhNI GLIO 3EL D•n OW Ich ThE Tvusr••s ¥t •we olthe CTrorltyCthnmhn'swthnc• onmk btntfft and hth r•q•rd to th•twI0an Intr In tr erKled 31" Marth 2024. In thearefided 311¢ M•rch 2024, Lffrfs • 8eath malorfocus h•$ bmn the r•tskn8offvnd5 thrThh Its roy•ky8yoementwlth Pr¢£ook, beach Canin¢ events. and attendin8 sthools to ra15e aw•ren•M of ihe Impwt•rKe of reduclng SI¢ pl•rtks. le's a 8e%h hs abso raised their Onl1 we5tnce, yinkn8 (w a thous Irwm In thtye•r, hdplnlio Prt ir actmty and pursw. The th•rlty has launthtd its educat1 wogram In GltyJ¢e#ershlfe prtm•ryxh)ols, ffidlr4 reusable water bottles and edwithwl yentstkn and m•wl•15 t(>eKouwthlklren )Othelrfamll¢stO on th• JtTe4thtt¥wh we•sed goda medI•fd1M1ftd tyatter¥Jiryv•rknJs wWkfestW, sprt•d4 Ir•TS$1bft pts51k Th¢ rna SOUfc¢oI wisfrtyn Pr(K4x itd.f•hkh donates IO% oftts on seled woductstt>tl Lllrfs a Beach Charlty. This. combid wlthotsw dt$froffl cwporate teath deans and Prth rnnted to • totalol £375 ol don11 fortht wk4. The trustees have exambn¢d the th•rttVs reqlreMtsf0r cons1dell thi •Mploymt ol on• IrIdual thsrkn8 Mar¢h 2024 and cwfjiderthat the th•rtty410¢5 1 hKur m•ny d•y-104ay $t$. and th• r•r•W are suffi¢tst iocover itr C05t ol one emplwee and to spefid M thedlfett th•rItI1 •¢iMts. As a resul ttls DK•s%wy ¢0 hold a spttlhc le¥elol re5erye5.
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Llfe's A Beach, th•rfty no. 1185046
PIOTESTO ThE R14AP4CIALSTAIEMEIITS
Donatlons from..
IO% OoTraiions frtyn Prt
Uf•'s A B•ach, tharityno. 1185046 No •mountsfr p•ld lor ¥ryst0 ext•Jrd xnrthyolKc(Xx oro¢lw seTht•J lrytht Irthpendent•wnlner asthls vkTAsc•ffb•d wt on b•d PrtKotsk Ltd 471124 6,ni ro 49M4 T•tsl funds 42,394 Cash at nk 82,102 T•tsl Tr•de ¢redttors Other crodlto 216 I.LYJ2 Total 8•lan¢• OiW02J 88.823 Fun 48,375 145,4481 91,750 Restrkxed Funds Totsl 48375 . 45A41) 9L750