Large volume of entries expected as 2023 Tidy Towns competition is launched
The 2023 national Tidy Towns contest was officially launched this morning (Thursday) and is expected to attract one of the highest levels of entries to the contest to date.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the SuperValu-sponsored competition, and the launch took place in Trim, Co. Meath, which won the top prize in 2022.
The closing date for receipt of entries for this year's competition is Wednesday, May 10.
Entry forms for the SuperValu TidyTowns competition are available at www.tidytowns.ie and will be emailed to all registered groups. Entry to the competition will only be accepted by email to the: tidytowns@drcd.gov.ie address.
Speaking at the launch in Trim, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, said: "This year we celebrate 65 years of this fantastic competition, which has become part of the fabric of Irish society.
"The saying 'ní neart go cur le chéile', which means unity is our strength, really sums up what SuperValu TidyTowns is all about.
"Once again the focus this year will be on bringing communities and TidyTowns volunteers of all ages together as we effect real change and make our towns and villages better places to live, work, visit and raise a family."
Also speaking at the launch, Ian Allen, Managing Director of SuperValu, said: "It gives me great pride to launch SuperValu TidyTowns together with the Department of Rural and Community Development.
"What makes SuperValu TidyTowns special is that it truly shows the power of community and how collective small actions can make a big difference toward ensuring our communities are more sustainable places to live, work and play for generations to come.
“Every year, 29,648 volunteers across 924 committees give over three million hours of their time to SuperValu TidyTowns – this is a phenomenal effort.
"We have been heartened by the increased focus on biodiversity and sustainability projects in recent years, as well as the blended energy of youth and gold dust skills of experienced members which makes up the hundreds of TidyTowns committees across the country."
The launch heard that the number of entries was steadily increasing and many new groups were entering the competition for the first time or returning with new enthusiasm and drive to improve their local areas.
The Special Awards also continue to bring an added dimension to the completion and again this year there will be an impressive array of special awards with some fantastic prizes on offer.