The 2019 Pure Mile Project will have its annual Gala Evening on Wednesday 16th of October at The Brooklodge Hotel in Macreddin, Aughrim. The awards and certificates will be presented by, Mr. Andrew Doyle, T.D., Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture and the Cathaoirleach for Wicklow County Council, Cllr. Irene Winters. The Pure Mile is an environmental, community, heritage initiative, established by the Pure Project, which 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 wildflowers, plants, trees, animals, and the built, cultural, and social heritage of an area.
Ian Davis, Pure Project Manager commented. This is the 10th year of the Pure Mile, with the largest number of groups and volunteers involved in the project since it was established in 2009. The first year we had 6 miles of road, and this year, 10 years later, we have over 550 miles of roads, mountains, valleys, forestries, woodlands, and upland amenities, with over 2,500 volunteers involved in 2019. The Pure Mile demonstrates that people want to make a difference to the environment, and Pure gives them the assistance, so they can make that difference. The Gala Evening is Pure’s way of thanking all of the people involved in the Pure Mile, and it enables the groups to meet people with similar interests.’ On the Gala Evening each group will receive a Pure Mile Certificate, a selection of native Irish trees, and all will be included in the popular Pure Mile Calendar, which will be launched in November this year. A number of Certificates of Recognition will be presented on the night, with over €5,000 of prize money being handed out.
The Pure Mile is the perfect opportunity for communities and groups who want to make a positive contribution to their locality and environment, and assists people in improving and enhancing the place they live in, or recreate in. Special interest groups such as, walking groups, cycling groups, scout groups, businesses, and organisations, adopt a mile, or miles of road, in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and help Pure to Clean Up The Uplands. Pure provide all groups with Pure Mile signage, Pure Mile bags, gloves, litter pickers and Pure Mile high-vis vests, and they also remove all of the rubbish collected by the groups.
If any groups, communities, individuals, schools, walking groups, cycling groups, scouts, businesses, anyone, want to get involved in next years Pure Mile, they can contact Pure at info@pureproject.ie or download and application from www.pureproject.ie/what-we-do/the-pure-mile/. You can also write to; Pure Project, Wicklow Mountains, National Park, Kilafin, Laragh, Bray, Co. Wicklow and they will post out all the information or request an application form and information pack by phoning Pure on 0404 45547.
Further information on Pure can be found on www.pureproject.ie
