Pure Mile clean-up awards celebrate the trojan work of volunteers of Wicklow/Dublin Uplands

THE PURE MILE Awards back again this year in the Brooklodge Hotel in Macreddin, Aughrim, last Thursday, October 26, 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 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.

The year 2023 was the 14th 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.

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.

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