After a two-year absence, the 2022 Pure Gala Evening Awards will return to the The Brooklodge Hotel in Macreddin, Aughrim, on Thursday 27th of October.
The PureMile is an environmental, community, heritage initiative, established by the PureProject, 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 13th 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, 13 years later, we have over 850 miles of road, mountains, woodlands, valleys, forestries, and upland amenities, with over 3,500 volunteers. 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 of Participation, a selection of native Irish trees, and all will be included in the popular Pure Mile Calendar, which will be launched in December this year. Certificates of Recognition will also be presented on the night, with over €6,000 of prize money being handed out to the winning Pure Mile Groups and their volunteers.
A number of walking groups were involved in ‘Cleaning-Up The South Dublin Uplands’ with Upland Roads, Car Parks, Amenity Areas, Mountain Trails, Woodlands and Forest Entrances, being adopted this year. Several litter picks / cleanups were organised throughout the year and areas covered included, Glenasmole Road, Cunard Road, Piperstown Road, Glassamucky Road, Castle Kelly Road, Ballymorefinn, Kilakee Car Park, The White Road, and all sections of the R115 Military Road.
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, running groups, hiking groups, businesses, and organisations, adopt a mile, or miles of road, in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and help Pure to ‘Clean Up The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands’. Pure provide all groups with Pure Mile signage, Pure Mile high-vis vests, Pure Mile bags, gloves, and litter pickers, and Pure also removes 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 an application from www.pureproject.ie/what-we-do/the-pure-mile/. You can also write to; Pure Project, Unit 6 B, Riverside Business Centre, Tinahely, Co Wicklow, Y14 R978, and they will post out all the information, or request an application form and information pack by phoning Pure on 0402 28662.
Further information on Pure can be found on www.pureproject.ie
TO REPORT DUMPERS AND DUMPING IN THE WICKLOW/DUBLIN UPLANDS – lo–call 1800 365 123
