Chilly’s has been working with Refill since 2018, and by 2022 had donated nearly £700,000 to support Refill in achieving its work. Some of this funding has been used to support the 400-strong network of local community and council-led Refill Schemes, helping hundreds of thousands of people to take action where they live.

This series celebrates some of the incredible Refill community programmes out there on the ground, helping to turn the tide on plastic pollution. These are our Refill Heroes.

Introducing… Refill Margate!

Set up as a result of the excessive amount of litter left on Margate’s beautiful beaches, Refill Margate empowers local people to take meaningful action that helps combat the plastic pollution crisis.

Refill Margate is a community-driven social initiative with a mission to clean up Margate’s beaches and protect the local coastline, ocean, and native wildlife. It’s run by local environmental community group, RISE UP. CLEAN UP. MARGATE. CIC.

Local impact – prevention of single-use plastic waste

Since joining the Refill Revolution last year, Refill Margate have signed up more than 45 businesses as Refill Stations – where anyone can go while out and about to refill water bottles. These are featured on the Refill app, which signposts you to your nearest place to refill when on the go. Whilst signing businesses up as Refill Stations, they’ve also been campaigning for them to stop selling single-use plastic water bottles completely, to stop the flow of plastic at source.

They also run regular beach cleans saving over 1,000 bags of rubbish from the ocean since July 2021. Meet the team behind Refill Margate and find out more about the incredible work they do!

Activism as Art – inspiring change

Last October, Rise Up. Clean Up. Margate organised Rise Up Residency, welcoming seventeen local and international artists to stay in Margate and create public art as a means of raising awareness of ocean conservation and the issues caused by single-use plastic in and near our oceans.

From documenting ocean biodiversity to plastic hazards and ocean species, the murals intend to inspire, unite and empower the community.

Photo by Conor Gault

Refill Margate’s Top Takeaway:

“Everyone has the power to make a big change. Altering small things in your day-to-day life and spreading the word to your friends has a huge ripple effect.” – Amy, Refill Margate.

Get Involved:

Visit www.riseupcleanup.co.uk and click on "take action" to find lots of ways to get involved with Refill Margate – from joining their litter picks, to emailing your MP to reporting litter issues

Find a Refill Scheme near you –
Refill Schemes| Refill| find a scheme and Join the Refill Revolution.

Instagram: @riseupcleanup