Ballina Community Cleanups in Mayo has been announced as the latest weekly winner in the GIY and Energia Get Ireland Growing community initiative.
Following the announcement of the nationwide Get Ireland Growing initiative on June 30, applications from all across the country flooded in to www.GetIrelandGrowing.ie to be in with a chance to win a Community GROWBox.
Ballina Community Cleanups' entry was submitted by member Aurora Blanquier on behalf of the group and stated: "Ballina Community Clean-ups is a group of volunteers who believe in diversity and biodiversity. The volunteers recently redesigned an area near the river and created the #beelieveinballina trend, which consists of promoting and implementing biodiversity throughout the town. A bee & bugs hotel was built as part of the first project, and the team is in the process of building more in the four corners of the town.
"The group has also started to paint derelict buildings with colours to brighten Ballina town and its people - including the latest mural dedicated to Jack Charlton. The group is also working to transform unused grass areas in the town and along the roads and plants wildflowers to facilitate biodiversity and make the town more welcoming. We also have our very own King singing "The Na Song" on Youtube - and the key to keeping this group 100% joyful and united is the Ballina town clean-up on Saturday mornings - from 8 am to 9 am - because "We really BEELIEVE".
The Community Clean-Up group has been in existence since March 2019 and has seen a swell in volunteer numbers over the last two months as communities in the North Mayo capital have come together in the face of Covid-19.
The Beelieve in Ballina campaign captured public imagination with its rejuvenation efforts for Ballina and use of recycled materials. Over 100 people have come out to support the group’s weekly clean-up operations at different locations around the town and the group has a number of future projects under way and planned for Ballina.
