Volunteers clean up at Pure Mile gala awards night
OVER 250 people attended the Brooklodge Hotel on Wednesday night for the tenth Pure Mile awards gala-evening.
The Pure Mile encourages groups across the county to adopt a mile (or miles) of road in their local area or in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and organise litter picks, clean-ups, and anti-dumping campaigns.
Over 100 certificates of participation were presented by Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture Andrew Doyle and the Cathaoirleach for Wicklow County Council, Cllr Irene Winters. Each group received a certificate, a selection of native Irish trees, and will be included in the Pure Mile Calendar, which will be launched in November.
Speaking on the night, Ian Davis, Pure Project Manager, said: ‘The Pure Mile has grown every year and in 2019 we had over 2,500 volunteers involved.
‘We had some major cleanups this year which resulted in the removal of over 4,000 bags of rubbish and illegal dumping from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands.
It’s amazing the amount of time, effort, and enthusiasm that groups invest in the Pure Mile. All of the people involved in the Pure Mile make a huge difference to the areas they live in or recreate in, and it’s an absolute pleasure meeting them, and getting to know them,’ he said.
Minister Doyle said: ‘Once again I commend the very hard-working team whose ongoing commitment and energy has led to the success of the Pure Mile project by encouraging wider community involvement and I wish it continued success into the future.’
Funding for Pure is scheduled to end in December. However, the project recently submitted an evaluation and submission of extension to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, and is confident that the project will receive further funding to continue its work and various initiatives.
In all, 22 different Pure Mile groups received certificates of recognition.
The winners on the night were: Castleruddery Pure Miles, Litter Free/Community; Laragh
Ballard Pure Miles, Litter Free/ Community; Ballyteige, Ballinatombay, Ballinabarney Pure Miles, Litter Free/Maintained; Roscath Roads Pure Miles, Litter Free/Community; Dunlavin Pure Miles, Anti-Dumping Initiative; Kiltegan Pure Miles, Anti-Dumping Initiative; Salesforce Pure Miles, Clean Up The Uplands; Atha Cliath/Glencree Walking Group, Clean Up The Uplands; Trouw Nutrition Pure Mile Group, Clean Up The Uplands; Vagabond Tours Pure Mile, Clean Up The Uplands; Castletimon Brittas Pure Miles, Education; Stratford On Slaney Pure Miles, Education; Grangecon Pure Miles, Sustainability; 17 th Wicklow Scouts, Paddock Hill, Sustainability; Newtown Scouts Pure Mile, Sustainability; Crossbridge Pure Miles, Community; Barndarrig Pure Miles, Community; Kilquiggin Pure Miles, Community; Jim’s Way Pure Miles, Community; Beech Road, Millennium Road, Love Lane Pure Miles, Heritage Interpretation; Lisheen Road Pure Miles, Heritage Interpretation; Shillelagh Pure Miles, Heritage Interpretation.