This National Volunteering Week, we’re celebrating the contributions volunteers make in our communities. Blessington Tidy Towns Chairperson Jason discusses the impact Tidy Towns volunteers are making in Blessington, Co. Wicklow.
“Blessington’s Tidy Towns group has been going strong for the last 10 years. We’re involved with almost every part of the community. There’s always something happening. From the obvious things like litter picking and landscaping, maintaining areas, planting flower beds. To the environmental side – in the last few years, there’s been a real focus on biodiversity, with pollinator planting and so on. And we push for recycling and reuse activities. We’ve also put together a sustainable energy community here in Blessington.
“We work with local primary schools too, for litter picking and gardening activities. And we are a Gaisce Challenge Partner and work closely with Transition Year students.
“I think it’s great that people volunteer their time and effort and give back to their local community. It’s about giving back and getting involved. We live here so we want to develop the community, and see Blessington improve so that it’s a nice place to live. And so that it’s a nice place for people to visit.”
Jason’s contribution to Tidy Towns was recognised in 2019 when he won the national Tidy Towns Hero Award: “That was my proudest volunteering achievement,” he says. “It meant a lot.”
Jason’s advice this National Volunteering Week is to “jump straight in and try volunteering. Be it with a Tidy Towns group or a different community group. My motto is, ‘unless you try you’ll never know’.”
If you’d like to volunteer with your local Tidy Towns group, you can find info here: https://www.tidytowns.ie/get-involved/find-your-local-committee
Thank you to Jason for sharing his Volunteer Story. Please DM us or email [email protected] if you’d like to share yours! #MyVolunteerStory #CelebrateVolunteers #NVW2022
