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A rather unusual visitor appeared in Guildhall Square this week to help children learn more about plastic waste and its impact on the environment.

26th July 2019

A rather unusual visitor appeared in Guildhall Square this week as part of Seaside in the Square - a huge 18m-long and 3m-wide inflatable whale welcomed hundreds of children to learn more about plastic waste and its impact upon the environment.

The giant whale at Seaside in the Square

To coincide with the visit, Solent's Dr Laurie Wright provided a series of talks and practical activities on the main stage to encourage families to consider the role of plastic and how they can adapt their behaviour to live more sustainable lifestyles. Reflecting on the day, Laurie said: "We hope today’s activity helped inspire even more young people and families in Southampton to take action in reducing their use of single use plastic. As a university, it’s important for us to be able to share our specialist knowledge and expertise in a fun and accessible way.”

The visit formed part of Solent University’s support of Seaside in the Square. Back for its second year, the city centre beach offers three weeks of fun, free activities for all the family. This year, Solent University is proud to be the official education partner and is delivering a series of activities, all with the aim of sharing knowledge and creative talent with the local community.

Commenting on Solent’s support, Gemma Nichols, Head of Partnerships at GO!Southampton, the organisers behind Seaside in the Square, said: "We are delighted to have Solent University on board as an official event partner this year. The partnership with Solent allows us to explore some of the social and environmental issues impacting on society in a fun and informative way. It also provides the city access to some of the region's most creative talent with staff and students from their creative courses delivering live stage performances and art workshops on the beach."

Discover more about Solent’s support of Seaside in the Square