A woman with a hat and sunglasses standing on a beach. She is pointing to the left while holding a survey form for others to see. She is wearing a bright orange safety vest with a Marine Conservation society logo on it.

What you can do

From beach cleaning to joining our Youth Ocean Network to giving a gift, there are lots of ways to do amazing things for our ocean.
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    Volunteering & citizen science

    You don't have to live by the coast to volunteer and help protect the ocean. There are many ways to give your time to help ensure a better future for our sea.

    Volunteering is more than giving time - it’s also about building connections, creating opportunities, and inspiring change. Our volunteers make up the heart of our work. Through citizen science projects, your passion and commitment keeps our ocean a source of life, inspiration, and belonging for generations to come.

    Ocean volunteering opportunities
    Marine Conservation Society staff working with young people on a beach. One girl is holding a large litter item, while a staff member fills out the litter survey paper form.

    Our team working with young people on a beach  |  Image credit: Billy Barraclough

    Beach cleaning

    Participating in a beach clean is a great way to help the ocean while getting some fresh air too. We have beach cleaning events running throughout the year and there's hundreds you can book onto during our flagship Great British Beach Clean campaign (September). Whether with family, colleagues, new friends or by yourself, the litter collected helps stop litter from entering the ocean and the recorded data helps us track litter back to source, enabling us to campaign for change.

    Make your clean count
    A woman with a hat and sunglasses standing on a beach. She is pointing to the left while holding a survey form for others to see. She is wearing a bright orange safety vest with a Marine Conservation society logo on it.

    A beach clean organiser at Sandbanks explaining the beach clean survey form  |  Image credit: Billy Barraclough

    Fundraising & events

    We truly appreciate those who dedicate their time by raising money for The Marine Conservation Society. Not only does it raise valuable unrestricted funding that we can use to further our work, it also makes more people aware of our goal for a cleaner, healthier, better protected ocean.

    Check out our spaces available on big events from marathons to ultra challenges, or find out how we can help you create your own. There are plenty of creative ways to fundraise that suit your interests, lifestyle and - very importantly - they're good fun!

    Fundraise for us
    4 men standing in front of a boat. The centre right man is holding a boat paddle. They are all wearing caps and 'Give us a wave' branded hoodies.

    The Give Us A Wave team who fundraised for the Marine Conservation Society as part of The World’s Toughest Row race.  |  Image credit: Tom Curtis

    Youth Engagement

    Our youth engagement programmes help young people connect with the ocean, discover its fascinating marine life, and understand the vital role we all play in protecting it.

    We’re creating exciting, accessible ways for young people to explore and enjoy the ocean, reaching more than 41,000 young people since 2021 through events, training sessions, beach cleans and boat trips, among other hands-on experiences.

    Across the UK, our youth engagement programmes help young people build new skills, meet like-minded people and feel part of a community that cares about the sea.

    Youth engagement opportunities
    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"

    Members of the Youth Ocean Network holding up artwork they created for World Ocean Day  |  Image credit: Sudheha Amerasinghe

    Community projects

    The ocean belongs to us all. Our community projects empower local people to shape the future of their coastal environments, improving ocean literacy across the UK. By engaging with communities, listening to their lived experiences, and supporting everyone to share their stories, these projects ensure that all voices play a vital role in protecting nearby beaches, habitats, and wildlife. We not only work on our own coast, but help local voices be heard in the United Kingdom Overseas Territories too.

    Through these partnerships, we strengthen community-led action and help transform local insight into meaningful, long‑term change for the ocean.

    Our community projects
    Woman standing over a fence looking towards a beach. She is wearing a dark coat and beanie. She is facing away from the photographer.

    Nat, Hiraeth Yn Yr Môr Project Support, looking over Barkby Beach, Prestatyn, Wales  |  Image credit: Yoke Creative

    Partnerships

    Our partnerships with organisations and businesses amplify shared ambitions for a healthier ocean. By working closely with partners who care about our sea, we connect expertise, resources, and real‑world insight to create meaningful change.

    These collaborations elevate local and sector‑specific voices, strengthen collective action, and drive initiatives that protect marine habitats, reduce pollution, and inspire long‑term ocean stewardship. Through strong, values‑led partnerships, we turn common goals into powerful, lasting impact.

    Explore current partnerships
    2 women walking along the beach carrying large marker flags. The flags read "Holidaycottages.co.uk" and "Marine Conservation Society Beach Clean" respectively

    Great British Beach Clean event - Westward Ho! with Travelchapter  |  Image credit: Dean ​Chapple

    Give a gift

    Your generous support is a key way to support our work. However there are many ways to donate that are often forgotten, from gifts in wills to philanthropic endeavours.

    No matter the amount, every donation directly strengthens our work to restore and defend our seas and allows us to focus on larger, more impactful projects.

    Find out ways you can give
    An underwater photograph of a dense cluster of healthy kelp with numerous small fish swimming in the clear blue water around it

    A thriving kelp forest around Orkney, Scotland  |  Image credit: Alison Moore

    Campaigns

    Since the 1980's, we’ve been campaigning tirelessly to secure protections, bans and commitments from governments across the UK to restore the health of our marine environment.

    From policies tackling plastic pollution to improving MPA laws, we’ve always been at the forefront of ocean protections and will continue to do so until the ocean is fully protected.

    But we need your support to tackle harder and more complicated challenges.

    Support our latest campaigns
    5 members of the Marine Conservation Society team standing outside Royal courts of Justice, holding signs that read 'Sewage Free Seas'. Sandy Luk, the CEO stands in the middle.

    Members of the Marine Conservation Society campaigning for sewage-free seas outside the Royal Courts, London  |  Image credit: Billy Barraclough

    Other ways to support us

    Stand up for our coast

    Check out our campaigns and briefings. Each action helps push for cleaner, healthier seas. Create change, one campaign at a time.

    Shop for the sea

    Show off your love for the ocean with sustainable ocean t-shirts, gifts and accessories.
    A woman holding a microphone. She is wearing a Marine Conservation Society t-shirt

    Arrange a community talk

    Enjoy a talk in your local community to learn more about the work of the Marine Conservation Society.