The Pure Mile Awards was back again this year in the Brooklodge Hotel in Macreddin, Aughrim, on Thursday 26th of October to celebrate the hard work and achievements of all the Pure Mile Volunteers in Cleaning Up The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands.The PureMile is an environmental, community, heritage initiative, established by the 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 for one night, in one room, and celebrate all of their hard work and achievements in Cleaning Up The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands, and for Pure to thank them all.
Certificates of Participation were presented to all Pure Mile Groups on the night by the Mayor of South Dublin, Cllr. Alan Edge, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr. Aoife Flynn Kennedy, and the Cathaoirleach of Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Cllr. Denis O’Callaghan.
2023 was the fourteenth year of the Pure Mile, with the largest number of groups and volunteers involved in the project since it was established in 2009. In the first year the Pure Mile had 5 miles of road (8.5 kilometres), and over the years the project has grown extensively to involve communities, groups, individuals, scouts, beavers, schools, walking groups, cycling groups, running groups, hiking groups, businesses and organisations, who have collectively improved and enhanced over 900 miles (1,450 kilometres), of road, mountains, woodlands, valleys, forestries, upland amenities, car parks, and even some coastal areas, with the removal of tonnes of illegal dumping and litter from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands. Over 2,600 litter picks and clean-ups were organised in 2023 and additional projects included, natural heritage, built heritage, community, biodiversity, and education.
On the night, Mayor of South Dublin, Cllr. Alan Edge, commented, ‘I can’t overstate the importance of the Pure Mile in South Dublin. The trojan work that Pure and its army of volunteers do in keeping our uplands clean represents the best in local environmental action and community engagement at its finest.’
All groups received a Pure Mile Certificate of Participation, native Irish trees, and all are 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 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’ with regular litter picks and clean-ups of South Dublin Upland Roads, Mountain Trails, Woodlands and Forest Entrances. Litter picks / clean-ups 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, Seehan Road, Stone Cross, and all sections of the R115 Military Road.
Certificates of Recognition and cheques for €250 were presented to, Trekkers Walking Group Pure Miles, Wayfarers Walking Group Pure Miles, Átha Cliath Clean Up the Uplands Team Pure Miles, Glencree Walking Group Pure Miles, The Bog Trotters Hill Walking Group Pure Miles, and Friends of the South Dublin Uplands Pure Miles. Daiichi Sankyo Pure Miles were also presented with a Certificates of Recognition for Corporate Engagement.
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.
Pure provides 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 2023 Pure Mile in South Dublin, ‘The South Dublin Uplands is a unique landscape and environment and although Pure has removed tonnes of illegal dumping from this beautiful scenic landscape, we only have one truck and one driver, so we are unable to remove the unsightly small-scale litter from the area. The Pure Mile Groups make a huge difference to the appearance of the South Dublin Uplands and I would like to congratulate all of the Pure Mile Volunteers involved. Pure 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. Pure was launched in 2006 and since that date it has proven extremely successful, in both reducing illegal dumping, and engaging with all demographics in society. It’s the first project of its kind in Ireland involving a multi stakeholder approach collaboration with, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Wicklow County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Coillte, National Parks & Wildlife Service, and the Wicklow Uplands Council.
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 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
