Wicklow People

Pure Mile contest is open for entries

GROUPS HAVE SO FAR IMPROVED OVER 220 MILES AROUND WICKLOW

- By DEBORAH COLEMAN

THE PURE Project the organisati­on establishe­d to combat fly-tipping in the Wicklow Dublin Uplands is calling on community groups to take part in the 2019 Pure Mile.

The Pure Mile encourages communitie­s and groups living in rural areas to adopt a mile, or miles, of road, and keep this area litter/rubbish free, research informatio­n about their local wild flowers, plants, trees, animals, built/cultural/ social heritage, history, and the folklore associated with their areas.

The inititativ­e supports the work of the PURE Project which, to date, has removed over 3,000 tonnes of illegal dumping removed from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands, received over 10,000 reports of illegal dumping and completed over 10,000 truck collection­s.

Special interest groups, walking groups, cycling groups, scout groups, businesses, organisati­ons, can adopt a mile of road, or miles of road, in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and help Pure to Clean Up The Uplands. Pure provide all groups with bags, gloves, litter pickers and high-vis vests, and they also remove any of the rubbish collected by the groups.

According to Ian Davis, Manager of Pure, the intiative has been a great success to date.

‘The Pure Mile has been a great success and all credit goes to the numerous groups, who in 2018 collective­ly improved and enhanced over 220 miles of areas and removed tonnes of illegal dumping and litter from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands. There are so many beautiful areas in county Wicklow and each one has something unique and interestin­g to offer. The groups that take part in the Pure Mile really make a difference to the areas they both live in, or recreate in, and it would be great to see more people getting involved in the 2019 Pure Mile.’

Groups can focus on all aspects of the Pure Mile, or just one aspect, such as, litter picks, or clean-ups of their areas. Pure are also encouragin­g Primary and Secondary School Students to enter the competitio­n and do a class project on their local area, maybe a project on a natural or built heritage feature, a social history project, or a clean-up project.

All groups who enter the Pure Mile are invited to the Pure Mile Awards Night, and all receive a Certificat­e of Participat­ion, a selection of Native Irish Trees, and all groups feature in the Pure Mile Calendar.

You can apply on line at www.pureprojec­t.ie or you can request a Pure Mile Informatio­n Booklet and Applicatio­n From by emailing Pure at info@ pureprojec­t.ie, or phone Pure on 0404 45547, or write to, Pure, Wicklow Mountains National Park, Kilafin, Laragh, Bray, Co. Wicklow, A98 K286.

To enter, simply put your name and contact details on an applicatio­n form and the Pure Manager will meet you and ‘Walk the Mile’ with you.

Further informatio­n on Pure can be found on www.pureprojec­t.ie

 ??  ?? The Wicklow Dublin uplands.
The Wicklow Dublin uplands.
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