The Buncrana Tidy Towns Initiative has set out ambitious plans to win this year’s Tidy Towns competition and have their sights set on winning a new special award.
Buncrana Tidy Towns Initiative launched its 2017 Tidy Towns competition submission – a 30-page full-colour plan setting out in detail the group’s work over the last 12 months, on Saturday 27 May at the Lake of Shadows Hotel. In addition to the plan, and for the first time, Buncrana Tidy Towns has also entered the Let’s Get Buzzing Local Authority Pollinator Award competition.
Buncrana Tidy Towns 2017 competition submission (plan)
Speaking at the launch of the plan Buncrana Tidy Towns Chairperson Liam Rainey said, “We have built on the work of previous years to further improve the cleanliness and presentation of the town, and have expanded our efforts in the areas of biodiversity and the environment.
“Over the last year Buncrana Tidy Towns took part in the One Million Trees in One Day initiative, Clean Coasts marram grass planting at Lisfannon and our work on the all-Ireland Pollinator Plan has gone from strength to strength.”
“We have increased the number of swift boxes throughout the town to tackle the decline of this important urban bird and we are particularly excited about our participation in Wild Inishowen’s red squirrel and pine marten monitoring project. All of this work is in addition to our regular clean-ups, painting work, spade patrol, BTTI’s annual Young Environmental of the Year school’s competition and much much more.
“We would like to say a particular thank you to Kavanagh’s SuperValu for their ongoing support, and the local businesses, the GAA and community groups who support and work alongside us throughout the year.
“We would also like to extend our thanks to the town’s gardener George McDermott who has gone above and beyond the call of duty, and to local Council management who we work closely with throughout the year.”
BTTI, Wild Inishowen, Amazing Grace committee and Donegal Council supporting the Buncrana Tidy Towns Pollinator Project
Enormous Effort
Sinéad Ní Bhroin, Spokesperson for BTTI, noted that Buncrana Tidy Towns Initiative have won gold medals at the 2015 and 2016 competitions, and are just 10 points away from winning the competition.
Sinéad added, “Each year BTTI put an enormous effort into producing our competition submission. Setting out the breadth of our work is so important in terms of the Tidy Towns competition but also as a mechanism for documenting the many accomplishments of our team and those organisations we work with week in week out. Copies of the plan will be left in Buncrana’s public library alongside our exhibit.
Volunteers putting up homes for solitary bees in the Amazing Grace park
Bonkers about bees
“We’re also super excited about also entering the Tidy Towns Pollinator competition this year. Anyone who follows BTTI on social media knows we are bonkers about bees. Just last week we hooked up with Wild Inishowen, the Amazing Grace committee and Donegal County Council to erect a bunch of homes for solitary bees at the Amazing Grace park.
“We’ve set ourselves an ambitious programme of work with our Pollinator Project, but we do love a challenge so keep an eye out for our Pollinator Plan signage to learn more about what we’re up to!
“Tidy Towns competition judges will visit Buncrana during the months of June and July, so we are asking the community to make an extra special effort to keep the town spick and span.
“BTTI believe Buncrana can win the competition, an achievement that would bring a fantastic social and economic boost to our beautiful wee town.”
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