A striking giant image of Prime Minister Andy Burnham was created on the sands of Burnham-on-Sea this morning, sparking conversation about the UK’s ongoing water issues.
The impressive sand artwork features the Prime Minister’s face alongside the words: “Burnham-on-Sewage?! Time to turn the tide, Andy.” This powerful visual was crafted by the sand artists collective Sand In Your Eye as part of a campaign led by the advocacy group 38 Degrees.
The group aims to draw attention to the serious environmental problem of water companies discharging sewage into rivers and seas. The sand drawing took two hours to complete and is destined to be washed away with the incoming tide, symbolising the urgency of the issue.
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38 Degrees is urging the Prime Minister to consider bringing water services back into public ownership, a move supported by 144,442 petition signatories. Recent public polling commissioned by the organisation found that 57% of respondents favour public ownership with legally mandated reinvestment into infrastructure, whereas only 8% prefer maintaining the current private ownership system.
Veronica Hawking, Campaigns Director at 38 Degrees, commented: “The public are justifiably angry about the state of this country’s water industry. Every year our bills increase while the companies take our money, pump untreated sewage into our waterways, and pay dividends to shareholders. Enough is enough.”
She added: “As we approach the bank holiday weekend-a peak time for British seaside visits-we created this sand portrait of the Prime Minister in his namesake town. Funded by members of the public who contributed a few pounds each, this artwork carries the message of the 144,442 petitioners demanding that the government take decisive action to restore public ownership of water services.”
The sand art installation at Burnham-on-Sea serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for change in the management of the UK’s water resources.