🌊 Cleaner Shores, Brighter Futures: Environmental Responsibility in Morecambe Bay

The sun may have set on our incredible one-day event, but the movement we launched on Monday, October 27th, 2025, at The Platform Morecambe is just beginning!

The Cleaner Shores: Brighter Futures event was a vibrant, hands-on success, proving the deep connection between our local environment and the profound impact accessible arts can have on mental well-being. Thanks to the generous support of the Arts Council National Lottery , we brought together creativity and community to encourage a shared sense of environmental responsibility in Morecambe Bay.

🎨 Art as a Catalyst for Change

Our central goal was simple: to transform coastal waste into meaningful art and empower our community. We achieved this through a series of engaging, interactive activities:

• Upcycling Workshops: Attendees were invited to bring recycling items to be used in workshops, turning found materials into creative expressions.

  
  

• Talent Showcase: Our creative core, local artists led the way, guiding the community through the creative process alongside collaborators like More Music.

  
  

• Family Fun:  The day was filled with vibrant activities, including a mini art exhibition / tabletop display showcasing the compelling work of Cry Baby Illustrations and members of RE-STORE , complemented by hours of fun, family-friendly sea creature themed face painting provided by local business, Not Just Bath Bombs.

  
  

• Community Vibe: The event atmosphere was amplified by DJ Denver, who was hired for the day , creating a joyful, welcoming soundscape of reggae music that contributed to the positive well-being and sense of community cohesion.

By providing these accessible, hands-on artistic experiences, we aimed to not only raise environmental awareness but also empower individuals to become active participants in solutions.

🤝 Partnerships and Community Power

The success of Cleaner Shores Brighter Futures was built on the strength of our local collaborations:

• The Platform Morecambe was the perfect venue.

  
  

• CBI (Crybabyillustrations Ltd) was central to our visual identity, providing digital artwork for all our flyers and promotional materials.

  
  

• More Music , RE- Store , Shadow Tattoo Gallery & Studio alongside other artists ensured that our creative workshops were diverse and deeply embedded in the community.

  
  

♻️ The Legacy: The "Borrow Me Box" Vision

The impact of this project won't end when the clean-up wraps up! Our strategy is designed to leave a lasting legacy. At the event, we featured designs for an exciting new initiative.

1. The Borrow Me Box: A digital design of a functional, eco-friendly re-use toy box for beach toys.

   
   
   
   

We used the back of our flyers to gather crucial feedback via a QR code survey for community consultation. These tangible assets will extend the impact of the grant beyond the day, providing long-term benefits to the Morecambe Bay community. Our next step is to meet with Lancaster City Council to strategically pitch the installation of the box and boards along the coastline.

💡 What's Next?

This event was a key step toward the long-term vision of Community Mind Connect (CMC). Our mission is to deliver high-quality, impactful projects that demonstrate the positive link between creativity and well-being. The insights gained from our engagement with the community will be invaluable for future projects, allowing us to create a scalable blueprint for future replication in other communities.