CALLING OUR YOUTH
Over the past number of years, Ballincollig Tidy Towns has been lucky to have Gaisce Participants from the local Secondary Schools join the Weekly Litter Pick as part of the programme. These young people have made a significant difference to the community. They have always been respectful and have happily worked alongside the BTT Volunteers.  
Ballincollig Tidy Towns would like to encourage more students to join Gaisce and participate in the Weekly Litter Pick as part of the programme. All Covid-19 guidelines will be followed at all times.
All Volunteers meet every Sunday morning at 11am in the Car Park at Quishs SuperValu West Village. We look forward to seeing you there.
The following explains what the Gaisce Programme is about.
Gaisce or ‘great achievement’ is a self-development programme for young people between the ages of 15-25 and has been in existence since 1985. The Awards initially flourished under the patronage of President Patrick Hillery and since then have been carried by all incoming Presidents. To date, over 300,000 young people have participated in the Gaisce Programme. 
Gaisce is driven and motivated to follow and adhere to core values set out by its staff and council members. 
Gaisce is focused on, and driven by, the following core values:
Empowerment –
Making a difference, effecting change and enabling young people to shape their own path to self-discovery
Inclusion & Equality –
Every person has the opportunity to grow their potential through equality of access, participation and outcomes.
Respect –
Valuing people equally, recognising diversity, and ensuring everyone is treated with dignity.
Excellence –
Making an impact through pursuing the highest standards, operating with integrity and in a transparent manner.
LITTER PICK
There were sixteen Volunteers out on the weekly Litter Pick last Sunday. Between them nine bags of litter were collected.
One bag of leaves was also collected. These were taken to the compost bay at the Allotment.
During the week some Volunteers did various Litter Picks and they collected five bags of Litter, one bag of Glass and one bag of Plastic.
Rosewood Residents Association held its last Worknight of 2020 this week and collected thirteen assorted bags of green waste, kerb sweepings and litter.
Carigdene Residents were also out cleaning their Estate and eight bags of green waste were collected from them.

 

BUSY…. BUSY
This week our CE Workers removed suckers from the bottom of several trees from the roundabout in Coolroe Meadows to the Greenfields roundabout. Fourteen bags were filled.
Our compost in the Bays at the Allotment had to be turned again this week to make more room for green waste and the huge volume of fallen leaves that will be collected in the coming weeks. This week our Workers recycled eight tonne bags of kerb side weeds and edging.
We also started preparing our Winter Planting which was recycled from last year.
CE Worker Adrian was also busy cleaning kerb side weeds in front of Aldi at Eastgate this week.
The Towers on Main Street were emptied, dismantled, cleaned and put into storage in preparation for 2021.
WATERING

On Monday evening two Volunteers were out watering. They spent one hour ten minutes each watering the Wooden Planters on Main Street and the Planters at Eastgate. 1,000 litres of water were used.
 
GREEN DRAGON RECYCLING
Each week we collect plastic bottles, cans etc. for recycling. Although it has been some time since Green Dragon have been with us in Ballincollig, this week we arranged for them to call.
Our ‘donation’ consisted of one wheelie bin of cans, forty-three bags of plastic and two leaking water butts.
THANK YOU
Another barrow full of lovely plants given to us by Tesco. They kindly give Ballincollig Tidy Towns the plants that have reached their ‘best before date’ so that they can be taken to the ‘ICU’ in the tunnel at the Allotment. We look forward to seeing them revived and in full bloom in the coming months.
PROGRESS
Despite the Coronavirus, restrictions and all we have been through over the past number of months, it is wonderful to see things moving forward in Ballincollig.
Great to see the old Ulster Bank on Main Street undergoing refurbishment in preparation for the new occupants Crowley’s Opticians.
Ballincollig Primary Care Centre is full steam ahead. It is so positive to see a crane in the Ballincollig skyline again.