– A packed schedule of over 60 free events is planned throughout August –
– Inclusive beach events ensure everyone can connect with and enjoy Northern Ireland’s blue spaces –
Live Here Love Here’s Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds campaign is back for its fifth year, delivering over 60 free events throughout August to celebrate Northern Ireland’s blue spaces and the mental and physical well-being they offer.
Building on the success of previous years, the campaign – sponsored by Belfast Harbour – focuses on inspiring people to connect with water through inclusive, community-based activities. The 2025 programme includes a mixture of events for community groups and charities, and those open to the public.The programme includes everything from beach yoga, guided foraging walks and sand art workshops, to beach cleans and nature-led play sessions for young children. Taking place across locations such as Murlough Beach, Ballyholme Beach, Crawfordsburn Country Park, and Ballygally Beach, it showcases Northern Ireland’s unique coastal and inland waterways while raising awareness of the growing threat of pollution, particularly marine litter.
Highlights of this year’s programme include a Rockpool Safari at Carnfunnock Country Park on Sunday 17 August at 11am. Open to all ages, this hands-on adventure invites participants to explore the fascinating and unusual creatures living in the rockpools, with the help of ID sheets, equipment, and engaging activities.
On Wednesday 20 August, there are two exciting events: Beach Babbies at Browns Bay Beach at 2pm, offering a nature-led play session designed especially for young children, and earlier that day, a Sand Dune Discovery at Tyrella Beach with Enspire Learn. This guided walk will uncover the story behind the formation of the dunes while highlighting the rich variety of wildlife they support – from lizards and butterflies to orchids and dragonflies.
As part of this year’s campaign, Live Here Love Here has partnered with the Mae Murray Foundation, a lived-experience, membership-led organisation dedicated to ensuring that people of all ages and abilities can fully participate in leisure and social activities. The Foundation will host an Inclusive Beach Fun Day on 14 August at Cranfield Inclusive Beach, where attendees can try their hand at archery and take part in a sandcastle building competition.
Kyleigh Lough, Chief Executive at Mae Murray Foundation said, “We are particularly focused on making sure that people with more complex needs, whose requirements are often overlooked, can participate fully in all areas of society. Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds is a vital campaign that helps us celebrate the mental and physical benefits of time spent near water – together and equally.”
Other key events include the Guided Rockpooling Tour with Coastal Kidz at Salmon Beach, Portballintrae, on Monday 25 August at 1pm and pollution art at Ballygally Beach on Saturday 30 August at 10am. Beginning with a community litter pick, local artist Janet Crymble will then lead participants in transforming collected trash into inspiring works of art.
These events provide just a few of the many opportunities to reconnect with our blue spaces and experience their powerful benefits for mental and physical well-being.
Live Here Love Here are inviting individuals, businesses, schools, charities and communities across Northern Ireland to participate.
Lynda Surgenor, Live Here Love Here Manager, said, “Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds has become a cornerstone of our work. This campaign not only raises awareness about marine pollution but also provides opportunities for people to reconnect with nature and each other. We’re especially proud of the inclusive events this year, which ensure that everyone – regardless of ability, age, or background – can enjoy and protect our blue spaces. As we face growing environmental challenges, every individual has a vital role to play in creating a cleaner, healthier future.”
Jenni Barkley, Community Engagement Manager at Belfast Harbour, added, “We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of this campaign. Healthy Oceans Healthy Minds aligns with our long-term goals to promote sustainability and community well-being. These events provide meaningful ways for people to experience the coastline while fostering stewardship and environmental responsibility.”
Live Here Love Here is a partnership campaign funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, ten local councils and the Housing Executive. The campaign is managed by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.
To support the work of Live Here Love Here and other environmental programmes, please visit www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org, where you can find ways to get involved or make a donation. For more information on the Mae Murray Foundation and Inclusive Beaches, visit maemurrayfoundation.org.