The 15th Anniversary and celebration of the 2024 Pure Mile Awards was held in the Brooklodge Hotel in Macreddin, Aughrim, on the 17th of October to celebrate the hard work and achievements of all the Pure Mile Volunteers in Cleaning Up The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands.
The Pure Mile is an environmental, community, heritage initiative, established by Pure, which encourages communities and groups living in rural areas of Wicklow, South Dublin and Dun-Laoghaire, to adopt a mile of road, or miles of road, in their local area, or in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and organise litter picks, clean-ups, anti-dumping campaigns, research information about their local wildflowers, plants, trees, animals, and the built, cultural, and social heritage of an area. The awards night is an opportunity for all of the Pure Mile Groups to meet up in one room, for one night and one night only, and celebrate all of their hard work and achievements in Cleaning Up The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands, and for Pure to thank them all.
The Pure Mile was launched in 2009 and since then over 450 communities and groups have registered with the initiative. Starting with 5 areas back in 2009 Pure now have individuals, groups, walking groups, hiking groups, cycling groups, running groups, scouts, beavers, cubs, schools, businesses and organisations, from all over Wicklow, South Dublin, and Dun-Laoghaire. Since the Pure Mile was initiated, Pure Mile Volunteers have collectively improved and enhanced over 1,400 miles (2,250 kilometres) of road, mountains, woodlands, valleys, forestries, upland amenity areas, car parks, pull-ins, and even some coastal areas.
One of the main projects involved in this years Pure Mile was, ‘Cleanup The South Dublin Uplands,’ with additional projects including, anti-dumping campaigns, natural heritage, biodiversity, sustainability, built/social/cultural heritage, community and educations projects. The Pure Mile demonstrates that people want to make a difference and want to preserve our environment, and Pure gives them the assistance so they can make that difference.
Pure Mile Groups range from all over Wicklow, South Dublin and Dun-Laoghaire and on the night of the awards, each one received a Pure Mile Certificate of Participation, native Irish trees, and all will be included in the popular Pure Mile Calendar, which was also launched on the night. There were a number of Certificates of Recognition presented on the night by the Mayor of South Dublin Cllr., Baby Pereppadan, Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD., and the Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr. Paul O’Brien, with cash prizes reaching over €6,000 distributed to groups which will further assist them in their local projects to improve and enhance the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands.
A number of walking groups and businesses were recognised on the night for their work to ‘Clean-Up The South Dublin Uplands’, for their regular litter picks and clean-ups of South Dublin Upland roads, mountains, trails, woodlands and forest entrances. The Pure Mile Groups concentrated their cleanup events this year on areas that were frequently affected by both littering and illegal dumping, including, Glenasmole Road, Cunard Road, Piperstown Road, Glassamucky Road, Castle Kelly Road, Ballymorefinn, Kilakee Car Park, The White Road, Seehan Road, Stone Cross, and all sections of the R115 Military Road. Over the last fifteen years, Pure Mile Volunteers have organised thousands of litter picks and clean-ups resulting in the removal of tonnes of bags of litter and rubbish from the beautiful, scenic, South Dublin Uplands.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said ‘I’m delighted to be part of the Pure Mile Awards this year and to congratulate the participants from Wicklow and South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire. It is great to meet the fantastic volunteers who have gone above and beyond with their efforts and dedication to cleaning our roads, fields, hedgerows, and uplands. Their efforts are making a meaningful difference, not just to the environment but also to the public health for all of us, as clean environments ensure less issues relating to pollution and public health. I also want to commend all who have been involved in Pure Mile for 15 years, and the growth from a starting point of just 5 areas to 1,000 areas in 2024. I cannot praise the team behind the project and the thousands of Pure Mile Volunteers enough for what they have done. The result is we can all embrace the beauty of our countryside and I’d encourage everyone to venture out to enjoy our mountains, lakes, and beaches, and for more of us to take up the challenge and protect our natural treasures.’
A number of Pure Mile Groups who were involved in litter pick events of the South Dublin Uplands were in attendance at the awards night and Certificates of Recognition and cash prizes were presented to, Windmill Hill Rathcoole Pure Miles, Trekkers Walking Group Pure Miles, Wayfarers Walking Group Pure Miles, Átha Cliath Clean Up the Uplands Pure Mile Team, Glencree Walking Group Pure Miles, Friends of the South Dublin Uplands Pure Miles, and Cruagh Pure Miles. Certificates of Recognition for Corporate Engagement and cleanups of the South Dublin Uplands were also acknowledge on the night and included, Glendalough Distillery Pure Mile Team, Britvic Pure Mile Team, NTT Global Pure Mile Team, and Vagabond Tours Pure Mile Team.
Donnie Anderson from Glenasmole/Cunard Pure Mile received a Pure Mile Ambassador Award for all his hard work, dedication and commitment to the Pure Mile.
The Pure Mile is the perfect opportunity for communities and groups who want to make a positive contribution to the South Dublin Uplands environment, and assists people in improving and enhancing the place they 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 South Dublin Uplands and help Pure to ‘Clean Up The South Dublin Uplands.
A member of The Glencree Walking Group summed up their group’s involvement in the Pure Mile, ‘Our group regularly walk in Wicklow/Dublin Uplands, and we were appalled by the amount of litter dumped in the area, which is mainly thrown out of cars. We previously contacted Pure regarding illegal dumping, and they have always responded in a positive manner and removed the dumping quickly. Working with the Pure Mile, and by adopting these areas, and doing cleanups, it’s our way of keeping the uplands clean.’
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.
Ian Davis, Pure Manager commented on the success and growth of the Pure Mile in South Dublin, ‘The Pure Mile has grown every year and we now have thousands of volunteers involved. Over the years the Pure Mile Volunteers have removed tonnes of litter and rubbish from upland roads, verges, hedges, and drains, and they have made a huge difference to the areas they live in, or recreate in. All the Pure Mile Volunteers involved in Cleanup The South Dublin Uplands have a shared objective, a common cause, a common goal, a common focus – committed volunteers working together to improve and enhance the South Dublin environment. I would like to thank and congratulate all of the Pure Mile Volunteers this year and for the past 15 years for their dedication and commitment in assisting Pure to keeping the South Dublin Uplands, Pure, Clean and Pristine, the way it should be. We want to engage with all types of groups and businesses who are interested in Cleaning-Up The South Dublin Uplands, and we will assist in any way they can.’
If any groups, communities, individuals, schools, walking groups, cycling groups, scouts, businesses, anyone, want to get involved in 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 request an application form and information pack by phoning Pure on 0402 28662. Further information on Pure can be found on www.pureproject.ie
