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WTT Activities and News 2024

Posted on by Wexford Tidy Towns

April 25th  –   It’s coming up to that time of year again!   The beautiful flowers destined for Wexford in Bloom’s roll-out of a sea of brightly-coloured hanging baskets on Main Street and around the town are coming along just fine!  With the Fleadh fast approaching in August, residents and visitors alike can look forward to a town filled with splashes of colour, and (hopefully) sunshine!

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March 28th  –   It is a great honour to have members of Wexford Tidy Towns Volunteers included in the diverse group of people on the poster welcoming visitors to Fleadh 24 approaching from Wexford Bridge.  Let’s hope it’s a gentle reminder to all to keep our town clean and beautiful during your stay!

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March 20th  –  Thrilled to finally reach the finishing line with our Public Art mosaic project, designed by Wexford artist Helen McLean.  The installation was formally launched on 18th March by Wexford County Council Cathaoirleach John Fleming.  The artwork now ‘bookends’ the quays with it’s sister “Blue Whale” mosaic artwork on the wall at Wexford Bridge.  Wexford Tidy Towns volunteers are very proud to have been involved with this uplifting art project from conception to installation.

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March 17th   –  For the first time in quite a few years,  Wexford Tidy Towns volunteers were delighted to take part in the 2024 St. Patricks Day parade in Wexford.  We were subsequently even more delighted to be awarded Best Community Group for 2024!

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March 8th  –  Wexford County Council have announced a Schools “Snap into Action” competition, as part of the “Spring Clean Wexford 2024″ initiative.  The prize is €500 for your school, and the title of “Wexford’s Cleanest school 2024”.

For further information please go to: https://bit.ly/48MPgLE

 

 

Feb 24th – The “Shoals of Herring” Public Art mosaic project, a collaboration between Wexford Tidy Towns volunteers and WWETB, under the guidance of artist Helen McLean, is nearing completion!   The installation of the completed work should take place in the next few weeks.

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Posted in Tidy Towns News

WTT Activities and News 2023

Posted on by Wexford Tidy Towns

Dec 23 –

So proud of our Wexford Tidytowns volunteers today for winning the most votes in the Wexford Volunteer Center calendar competition.
Thank you to everyone who voted and all the staff at the Volunteer Centre.
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Nov 23 – As part of our committment to promoting Public Art projects in Wexford Town, Wexford Tidy Towns Volunteers, working with WWETB Community Education and artist Helen McLean have begun work on a Mosaic project to be installed on our Quayfront next spring.  The work is entitled “A Shoal of Herrings”, and references an old Wexford tradition that no fishing boats shall put to see on St. Martin’s Eve (Nov 10th), following an ancient tragic legend of that date in 1762, when 70 fishermen drowned, having been warned by an apparition of St. Martin to return to shore.  Herring

 

Oct 23  We were over the moon to be awarded our  third Gold Medal by Minister Heather Humphries at the 2023 Tidy Towns awards at Croke Park on 6th October,  having achieved the Gold award in 2021 and 2022.  It was also rewarding to find we had been awarded higher marks in each scoring category than in 2022, it is always great when the hard work and planning of the team is noticed and appreciated.  We will not be resting on our laurels, we already have plans for the coming year in areas such as recruitment, collaborations, street art, sustainability and biodiversity.  goldmedal

 

 

 

Sept 23 – We are pleased to announce that another beautiful piece of Street Art, as part of Wexford Local Authorities’ initiative to commission creative artists to brighten our streetscapes with innovative wall art installations, laden with Wexford-specific connections.   This piece was conceived and has now been completed in Abbey Street by EMIC ( Belfast artist Eoin McGinn ).  Facing Wexford Arts Centre, the image is a moody depiction of a dancer, with the blue/green sea and clouds depicting a Wexford surround.

Mural 8 Abbey Street EMIC

 

There is more information in this Irish Independent article on this Arts project.  An interesting snippet from Eoin’s interview – “Today I’m going to paint 12 magpies because the first magpies in Ireland were sighted as being in Wexford town,” .

 

August 23 – Invitation:  You are cordially invited to the Wexford Tidy Towns AGM,  on Wed 6th September, at 7pm in the Pike Suite, Talbot Hotel.   AGM

 

July 23 –  Very happy to report that our Volunteer numbers continue to rise – you may have noticed we are more visible in our Saturday and Wednesday cleanups.  We continue to be a diverse group, with Volunteers from over 16 nations worldwide.

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Big thanks to Wexford Volunteer Centre for their help in referring willing helpers to our cause!

 

 

March 23 – Wexford’s application to host the 2024 Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann is successful, Yippee!!   Wexford Tidy Towns will be engaging and working with all other involved groups to ensure that the expected 100,000 visitors for Fleadh week on 4th to 11th August 2024 will see Wexford at it’s sparkling best!       Fleadh-2024

 

 

March 23 – Wexford Tidy Towns Volunteers are excited to be taking part in the Edible Gardens project, to be created in the Chamber of Commerce Car Park, Hill Street.  This initiative is all about Biodiversity and Sustainability.   The Edible Towns Network encourages a chemical-free approach to growing, and encourages communities to grow together and help Biodiversity.  Find out more about the Edible Gardens Network HERE

Edible Towns Network Project March 23

Posted in Biodiversity, Events, Tidy Towns News Tagged with: ,

Gold Medal – National Tidy Towns Awards 2022

Posted on by Wexford Tidy Towns

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October 2022.

We are thrilled, and very proud to be awarded the Gold Medal in the 2022 Supervalu National Tidy Towns Competition!!!!

We want to offer our sincere thanks and congratulations to the tireless volunteers who gave us their time, hard work and much-valued company, in all weathers all through the year to bring us to this level, in what has become fiercely competitive arena.   Whether you are a stalwart turning up for each event, join our group whenever possible,  or maintain your own neighbourhood,  this award is for you.

 

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We would like to sincerely thank Staff and Councillors from Wexford Local Authorities, who have consistently lent their support, providing funding and manpower to effect improvements to our town,  always taking on board projects promoted by our group, and suggestions from NTT adjudicators.  A number of our Councillors regularly give their time to help out at our cleanups and other projects.

Thanks also to the local businesses who have helped by keeping their own premises invitingly clean,  and especially to those who annually subscribe to our Summer Wexford in Bloom flowering project,  and of course to those who have kindly provided refreshments to our volunteers at the end of  the hard hours of work making our town sparkle.

Not forgetting the many Housing Estates and Community Groups who regularly organize their own cleanups and plantings and keep their areas in top condition.  We provide assistance for these teams with litter-pickers, bags, gloves and organize collection of the rubbish.

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This win follows on from winning our first Gold Medal in the competition in 2021, having won Bronze Medals in 2013-2016 and Silver Medals in 2017, 2018, and 2019 ( No competition was held in 2020 ).   We will be working all out to retain this coveted status in 2023!

Philomena Murphy,

Chairperson, Wexford Tidy Towns

Posted in Events, Tidy Towns Competition, Tidy Towns News

Civic Reception & Mayoral Award for Wexford Tidy Towns Volunteers

Posted on by Wexford Tidy Towns

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Mayor Garry Laffan with Wexford Tidy Towns chairperson Philomena Murphy at Civic Reception for Wexford Tidy Towns.

 

Wexford’s Mayor, Garry Laffan hosted a Civic Reception on June 20th 2022 to congratulate Wexford Tidy Towns on the award of the Gold Medal in the National Tidy Towns competition 2021, and acknowledge the efforts of volunteers whose tireless work over the years led to this notable achievement.  The Civic Reception was attended by Mayor Laffan, Councillors, Tidy Towns chairperson Philomena Murphy, and Tidy Towns volunteers.

 

Wexford Mayor presents award to Tidy Towns chair Philomena Murphy at the Civic Reception on June 20 2022

Wexford Mayor presents award to Tidy Towns chairperson Philomena Murphy at the Civic Reception on June 20 2022

 

 

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Mayor Garry Laffan, Ann McCann (Wexford in Bloom), Philomena Murphy (Chair, Wexford Tidy Towns) and Mary Bowie (Secretary, Wexford Tidy Towns) at Civic Reception for Wexford Tidy Towns / Wexford in Bloom.

 

Posted in Events, Tidy Towns Competition, Tidy Towns News Tagged with: , , ,

Tidy Towns 2019, 2021 and 2022 Adjudicators reports and Wexford 3 Year Plan 2019-2022

Posted on by Wexford Tidy Towns

Following the 2019  Tidy Town Adjudicator’s report for Wexford, the Wexford Tidy Towns committee formulated a 3 Year Plan, with the aims of addressing areas highlighted in the report, increasing our points total in the competition, and ultimately attaining Gold Medal Status – which we achieved in the 2021 and 2022 Competitions, increasing our points total from 322 in 2019 to 337 in 2021, and 351 in 2022.  No Competition was held in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions.
The 2019, 2021 and 2022 Adjudicator’s reports, and our 2019-2022 3 Year Plan are  available at the links below:

 

National Tidy Towns Competition 2019 – Adjudicators Report for Wexford

National Tidy Towns Competition 2021 – Adjudicators Report for Wexford

National Tidy Towns Competition 2022 – Adjudicators Report for Wexford

 

Wexford Tidy Towns 3 Year Plan 2019-2022

 

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Posted in Tidy Towns News

Original Art works brighten Wexford’s Built Environment

Posted on by Wexford Tidy Towns
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Following on from last year’s Wexford County Council/Wexford Tidy Towns initiative, further artworks have been commissioned to add eye-catching flair to blank walls and other outdoor installations – Public-facing building walls, ESB power boxes etc.

With our Wexford In Bloom program ready to kick off in the next few weeks, we look forward to Wexford being a brighter, more colourful environment for residents and tourists to enjoy in what we hope will be a more normal, bustling and sunny summer.

 

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Street Art  –  Art work in Carpark at the back of “Frank’s Place”

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Posted in Tidy Towns News

Wexford win Gold Medal in National Tidytowns Competition 2021

Posted on by Wexford Tidy Towns

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We are over the moon to announce that Wexford Tidy Towns has won a Gold Medal in the 2021 SuperValu National Tidytowns Competition!!!!

Thank you and congratulations to all of the volunteers who gave their time, ideas and friendship to our group, and who turned out in all kinds of weathers throughout the year to attain this fantastic achievement.

 

tidytownsgroup-gold-medal

 

Thanks also to Wexford Local Authorities, Staff and Councillors, who have been a huge support over the years, facilitated all of our projects, and funded and carried out improvements to our town’s environment based on requests from our group and recommendations from the Annual Adjudicator’s reports.  Some councillors are regular attendees at our cleanup and other projects.

A big thanks  to the many Wexford Businesses who have helped by keeping their own premises clean and bright,  to those who have participated in our annual Summer Wexford in Bloom project,  and others who have kindly provided tea/coffee and refreshment to our volunteers at the end of  the hard hours of work making our town sparkle.

Not forgetting the many Housing Estates and Community Groups who regularly organize their own cleanups and plantings and keep their areas in top condition.  We provide assistance for these teams with litter-pickers, bags, gloves and organize collection of the rubbish.

This is the first time Wexford have won Gold in the competition, having won Bronze Medals in 2013-2016 and Silver Medals in 2017, 2018, and 2019 ( No competition was held in 2020 ).   Now we begin the push for Gold#2 in 2022!!

Philomena Murphy,

Chairperson, Wexford Tidy Towns

Posted in Events, Tidy Towns Competition, Tidy Towns News Tagged with: ,