2 surfers holding surfboards and wearing wetsuits running alonga beach. The ocean is behind them

John Muir award

Make a positive difference to our seas as part of your John Muir Award.

Every year, John Muir Award participants make a positive difference to coasts around the UK. Here are some examples of activities you could carry out for the Award’s Conserve Challenge to inspire you.

We’d love to hear about what you’re doing. Please send your photos and a description to education@mcsuk.org and tag us @mcsuk on social media.

Conduct a Big Seaweed Search

Contribute to a real scientific research project run by Marine Conservation Society and the Natural History Museum by searching for seaweeds.

We need people to record the distribution of 14 seaweed species found on the UK’s coastlines to help us research rising sea temperatures and the impact of ocean acidification (the sea becoming more acidic as a result of absorbing carbon dioxide from the air). Your findings will contribute to an important dataset that helps us monitor the effects of environmental change on Britain’s sea life.

You can do this activity on any seashore around the UK. All shores are important for the research, but you will find more seaweeds on shores with hard structures such as rocks, sea walls and piers.

Check out the Big Seaweed Search
Two women, participating in the Big Seaweed Search, are crouched on a rocky, seaweed-covered shore near the ocean. One woman holds a clipboard and points at something on the ground, while the other looks down at her hand.

Two women, participating in the Big Seaweed Search  |  Image credit: Natural History Museum London

Clean up your chosen place

80% of litter in the sea comes from the land. Even if you don’t live near the sea, cleaning up an inland area will contribute to the health of the ocean.

You could record the litter you find on our data form and upload it to the national Source to Sea database. We will use the data collected to help us campaign for change - data collected in previous years has helped make the case for the 5p carrier bag charges across the UK, and helps inform our campaigns for Deposit Return Schemes for all types of drinks containers.

Do an in-land clean
A man and woman putting litter into a white dustbin bag in front of a river. They ar wearing wellies and strong gloves.

A couple cleaning a local river  |  Image credit: Thirdman

Organise a beach clean

If you’re over 18 you can run a beach clean on your own or for members of your community.

On our beach cleans, we not only clear up rubbish, but we survey the litter we find. We ask you to record the litter items found over a 100-metre stretch of beach, and this data becomes part of our national database and is used to create positive changes in our marine environment. For example, it was used when lobbying government for the 5p carrier bag charge.

Check out our organiser training
A beach cleaner walks with her back to the camera on a rocky UK beach with the sea to her left.. From the clear blue sky and her sleeveless clothing, it looks like a beautiful UK summer day.

Rocky UK beach scene showing a beach cleaner  |  Image credit: Rose Bainbridge

Campaign for our ocean

Help us fight for a cleaner, better-protected ocean by running a campaign as part of your John Muir Award. You can raise awareness at your school, in your family or community and take practical action to help the ocean.

View our campaigning tips to help you run your very own marine conservation campaign as part of your John Muir Award.

Check out our latest campaigns
A group of young adults holding up a big tapestry with fish on it. At the top it reads "You are not a dop in the ocean you are an entire ocean in a drop - Rumi". At the bottom it reads "#Youth Ocean Network"

Youth ocean network world ocean day artwork  |  Image credit: Sudheha Amerasinghe

Fundraising

You could organise a Big Blue Day at your school, college or workplace, hold an event, sell items or take on a challenge.

As a charity, our work relies on generous donations and fundraising from people just like you. Whatever you do, the money you raise will help us fight for our ocean and defend marine habitats and species.

Our fundraising tips will help you get involved in the fight to save our seas and fundraise as part of your John Muir Award.

Visit our fundraising page
A woman with one leg resting upon a rock. She is overlooking a body of water with her hands on her hips. She is wearing a cap and a Marine Conservation Society t-shirt.

A Marine Conservation Society fundraiser taking part in the Jersey Kayak Challenge  |  Image credit: Rhian White Photography

This project is funded by the Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.

 

Co-funded by the European Union.

Also of interest

A girl walking away from the camera toward a setting sun. SHe is on a beach and is carrying a black bin bag and a white bucket.

Other awards and certifications

Our award‑linked learning opportunities all focus on protecting and exploring the ocean.

Check out the Youth Ocean Network

Aged 13–25 and interested in becoming a voice for the environment? Register your interest in becoming part of our UK-based Youth Ocean Network
A woman wearing a hi-vis orange vest has her back to the camera. She is in front of a group of volunteers. Her vest reads Marine Conservation Society.

Other volunteering opportunities

Whether you live inland or by the coast, there are lots of ways you can become a champion for our seas.