2026: End this Dirty Business
In April 2025, we once again took to Whitstable beach to protest against the water industry, which continues to blight our community with sewage pollution, harming the environment, endangering public health, and damaging the local economy.
The Labour government, like the Conservatives before them, has been idle on this issue, failing even to deliver on the weak pledges in their manifesto. Meanwhile, water companies rack up debt, hand out dividends and bonuses, and carry on polluting our seas and rivers. Enough is enough. The industry needs a drastic overhaul, and we want to spark a national debate on returning water to public ownership, the only long-term solution to this crisis.
Photos: @jeaniejean
2025: Flood the Street
In October 2025 we planned to Flood The Street but extremely high winds were forecast due to Storm Amy so we unfortunately had to postpone to Spring 2026.
2024: March for Clean Water
SOS Whitstable was asked to take the stage and share our story on the 3rd November 2024 at the March for Clean Water in London.
The March for Clean Water started at Albert Embankment and marched to Parliament Square for the rally where our Sal spoke in front of thousands of people.
2023: SAVE OUR SEAS
WOW. We were absolutely blown away (again) by the number of people, the banners, the cheering and all of your wonderful comments after the event.
We loved hearing that being there made you grateful for our amazing Whitstable community, that it made you feel a part of something meaningful, and most importantly that you found the atmosphere welcoming and fun.
We are so grateful to our incredible speakers Chris, Cat Hobbs from We Own It, Jenny and the legend Feargal Sharkey (sorry for the swearing 😬) and special guests Paul Whitehouse, Barry McGuigan and talented singer China Soul. To Tom Williams and his partner Kate for allowing us to use (and abuse) their trailer again, to the brilliant marshals, and the BBC, ITV, Sky News, Kent Live, The Express, The Times, The Sun, Radio 5 Live, Radio Kent and all the other local and national media that covered our story.
To all the shops that put up our posters, the amazing Revival Food & Mood who allowed us to run amok with cardboard and paint, to all of you for sharing and spreading the word and buying bags and tee shirts to support us, and to all the amazing photographers and videographers who gave up their time on the day to help us capture the event (looking at you Rebecca Douglas Photography, Jack Peilow Photography, Tom Banbury, James Barriscale and Paul Jennings).
Photos: Rebecca Douglas Photography
2022: Barricade the Beach
We had an idea…
A bold stunt that would turn our beloved blue-flag beach at Tankerton into a crime scene for an afternoon, to reflect the consistent criminal activity by Southern Water 🚨
IT WORKED! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Over 1500 people turned up to support us and our beach barricade reached national news. We were blown away by every single placard, chant and red flag 🚩
Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who came out to support us.
It was a year to the day since our last protest and nothing had changed. Southern Water are still polluting our beaches ❌
A huge thank you to Rosie Duffield MP, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, Julie Wassmer, Tankerton Bay Sailing Club, Change Design, Burnt Toast Merchandise Solutions, councillors Chris Cornell, Valerie Kenny, Neil Baker and Clare Turnbull, Beans on Toast, Rory Heap from Unite The Union, the Bubbletit BlueTits, Evolution Drone, West Whelks Shellfish, our fantastic marshalls, Karen our wonderful interpreter from Interpreting Matters, Barry McGuigan, Andrew Hastings, Aga McPherson, Siobhan Hewlett, Jason deCaires Taylor, all the brilliant professional photographers, the press who joined us to cover the event – BBC, ITV and KMTV, every local business who housed one of our posters, and every single person who shared information about our event.
Photos: @evolutiondrone
Photos: @girl_with_a_yellow_jacket
Photos: @imagedrum
2021: Protest no.1
Our first protest on 9 October 2021 marched from the Tankerton Lifeguard Hut to outside the Swalecliffe Wastewater Treatment Works.
Photos: @evolutiondrone
