Free beach adventures, coastal walks and family fun return to Mid and East Antrim as campaign tackles marine litter
- Love Ballymena
- 23 hours ago
- 5 min read
Jenni Barkley, Belfast Harbour & Fern Keeney, Live Here Love Here
6 August 2026
Families across Mid and East Antrim are being encouraged to make the most of the region’s coastline this month as a popular environmental campaign returns with a packed programme of free and low-cost activities designed to help people reconnect with the sea while highlighting the growing problem of marine litter.
The Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds campaign, organised by Live Here Love Here, is back for its sixth year with dozens of events taking place across Northern Ireland throughout August.
Several of the programme’s flagship activities will be held on the Mid and East Antrim coast, offering everything from nature play and rockpool exploration to guided walks and beach art.
While the events promise fun for families and outdoor enthusiasts alike, organisers say there is a serious message behind the programme.
New figures released alongside this year’s campaign show 26,442 pieces of litter were recorded across 12 beaches surveyed in Northern Ireland, with 85% of all rubbish made from plastic—a reminder that the region’s coast remains under significant pressure from pollution.
Local beaches take centre stage
Mid and East Antrim’s coastline features prominently in this year’s programme, with events designed to appeal to all ages and encourage people to experience local beaches in new ways.
One of the most popular returning activities is Beach Babbies, taking place at Ballygally Beach on Tuesday 11 August at 11am.
Aimed at young children and their parents or carers, the free session transforms the beach into a giant outdoor play space where little ones can explore nature through sensory activities, beach toys and creative play in a relaxed environment.
Families keen to discover what lives beneath the shoreline can also take part in a Rockpool Safari at Carnfunnock Bay on Sunday 9 August at 2pm.
Although the event has already sold out, its popularity reflects growing interest in hands-on wildlife experiences, with participants given the chance to explore rockpools and learn about the fascinating marine creatures living along the local coast.
Those looking to combine fresh air with local history can join a Guided Coastal Walk between Ballylumford and Skernaghan Point on Wednesday 12 August at 6.30pm.
The free walk promises historical insights, local stories and spectacular coastal scenery while encouraging people to see familiar places from a different perspective.
Creativity takes over Browns Bay on Sunday 23 August at 2pm when artist Janet Crymble leads Pebbles with Purpose.
Participants will use stones, shells and other natural materials to create temporary beach art before allowing nature to reclaim the shoreline—an activity designed to inspire creativity without leaving a lasting environmental footprint.
A campaign with a bigger purpose
Although the programme is packed with enjoyable days out, organisers say the campaign is ultimately about helping people understand why Northern Ireland’s rivers, beaches and coastline deserve greater protection.
The latest Marine Litter Report 2025 highlights the scale of the challenge.
Survey teams recorded 26,442 individual items of litter across 12 beaches around Northern Ireland.
Perhaps most concerning, 85% of everything found was plastic, a material that can persist in the marine environment for decades, harming wildlife and breaking down into microplastics that are almost impossible to remove.
The findings reinforce the importance of reducing litter at source and encouraging more people to value the natural environments they enjoy.
Lynda Surgenor, Community Engagement Manager at Live Here Love Here, said even small pieces of rubbish can have devastating consequences.
“Litter, no matter how small, can have significant consequences for marine wildlife and our environment.
“We are fortunate that Northern Ireland is home to outstanding natural beauty and all of us owe it to future generations to look after these areas and protect them.
“Sadly, as our latest Marine Litter Report shows some people are not playing their part. Many of our community groups litter pick across a broad range of waterways from beaches to rivers to coastlines, all to improve our marine areas, and their work is essential.
“Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds aims to empower more people to connect with the benefits of nature in hopes that it inspires them to want to look after it and ultimately improve it.”
Connecting people with nature
This year’s programme extends far beyond Mid and East Antrim.
Across Northern Ireland, people can sign up for beach cleans, kayaking litter picks, paddleboarding sessions, wildlife walks, snorkelling, yoga on the beach, coasteering, marine wildlife discovery days, boat tours, guided foraging walks, watersports and mindfulness events.
More than half of all activities are completely free, while the small charges for paid events help support Live Here Love Here’s environmental work across Northern Ireland.
The campaign is sponsored by Belfast Harbour with support from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Jenni Barkley, Communications Engagement Manager at Belfast Harbour, said the programme continues to encourage people to appreciate and protect local waterways.
“Year after year Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds continues to highlight the various ways people can positively engage with and celebrate our wonderful waterways and reiterates how important it is to look after them.
“In partnership with Live Here Love Here, we can continue to educate people on the better choices they can make to protect our seas and waterways from further damage and pollution.”
Communities driving change
As well as organising events, Live Here Love Here works alongside hundreds of volunteers, community organisations, schools, businesses, charities and councils across Northern Ireland who regularly give their time to improve beaches, rivers, parks and other shared outdoor spaces.
Organisers say that community involvement has become one of the campaign’s greatest strengths, helping thousands of people become more connected with the places where they live.
Lynda Surgenor added:
“We are incredibly grateful to Belfast Harbour, DAERA, our wider partners, but most of all to the hundreds of community groups across Northern Ireland who look after the places where they live for the enjoyment of people and to ensure biodiversity can thrive.
“Live Here Love Here runs on people power – and by merging doing good for the environment with connecting people across their own communities, the movement continues to have a huge impact.
“It’s incredibly important that we continue to engage people across the region, young and old, environmentalists and those new to stewardship, to ensure that together we can all create lasting positive change for generations to come.”
How to get involved
The Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds programme runs throughout August, with events taking place right across Northern Ireland.
For Mid and East Antrim residents, highlights include:
Rockpool Safari – Carnfunnock Bay – Sunday 9 August, 2pm (currently fully booked)
Beach Babbies – Ballygally Beach – Tuesday 11 August, 11am (free)
Guided Coastal Walk – Ballylumford to Skernaghan Point – Wednesday 12 August, 6.30pm(free)
Pebbles with Purpose – Browns Bay – Sunday 23 August, 2pm (free)
Full event details, booking information and the complete programme are available at:
The full events guide can also be downloaded here:
As thousands of people prepare to head for Northern Ireland’s beaches this summer, organisers hope the campaign will leave a lasting impression—not just through memorable family days out, but by inspiring more people to protect the coastline so future generations can continue to enjoy the same blue spaces for years to come.
