Dale the Whale was created in collaboration with The Great British Beach Clean Project, an annual week-long event promoting litter collection and cleanup efforts on beaches around the UK. Organized by the Marine Conservation Society, 2022’s effort saw the collection of 4,000kg of litter by 5,261 volunteers.
A statement from Dalton Park accompanying the unveiling of Dale wrote that “Dale embodies the beauty of recycling and showcases how we can transform waste into something extraordinary.”
Dale himself is nothing short of extraordinary. Standing several feet tall, the brightly coloured and cuddly-looking whale also serves as a bottle deposit.
Dale the Whale’s arrival was also accompanied by a variety of recycling points across Dalton Park, the contents of which will be used to create more “dazzling decorations” to join Dale in embellishing the mall’s pavements.
This is not the first sustainability project that Dalton Park has bought into, with the mall reportedly investing in solar panels, a “Pollinator Park,” composting, and water saving measures. The mall also features a range of EV charging points and operates sponsored litter collections.
Dalton Park, based on the outskirts of the village of Murton, is the largest outlet mall in North-East England, playing host to 75 shops and restaurants.