Newsletter 09 June 2024
Sponsorship 2024
Last week we delivered over 350 letters to businesses, schools, clubs all over Ballincollig as part of our 2024 Window Sticker Campaign. We rely heavily upon the financial support from this campaign to maintain the work that we do. BTT is in operation 52 Weeks of the year and the number of voluntary hours put in each week is enormous. Not only on the litter picks but also in the background. The planting on Main Street alone costs thousands but the amount of time put into caring for them watering them etc is immense. We ask that as many people make a donation and they will receive their 2024 Window Sticker and have their name recorded on our Sponsors page here on our website for 2024.
Bank Holiday Sunday
Last Sunday we had 20 volunteers out including Cian who was visiting from Switzerland 
. We had a great morning and we collected 7 bags of Litter and 6 bags of kerbside weeds and grit as a result of Eugene’s efforts cleaning kerbs in the car park. Again the volume of litter was down which is testament to the Pride the people have in their Community and to the fantastic work of our local Cork City Council Staff.
Summer Planting on Main Street
On Tuesday evening 14 volunteers were in place to assist in putting up the planters on Main Street and to plant the 4 Large Tiered Planters and the Parklet. It was done with military precision and in no time the Main Street was transformed. 45 poles had their two planter placed on them. Well over 100 plants were planted in the towers and similarly in the much used Parklet. This year we have increased the number of pollinators again while still having a strong presence of colour.
BUTT and GUM Bins
A few years ago we purchased and put up a number of Cigarette Butt and Gum Bins to see if they would be used. Well thanks to “You” the people of Ballincollig and beyond they are being used continuously.
So much so we have purchased 6 more and these have been put up around the area. Cigarette butts are one of the biggest forms of litter and the amount of chewing gum thrown on our footpaths is disgraceful. But the very positive effect of these bins is that we have seen a sizeable reduction in the number of cigarette butts in most areas. Thank you to those who use them and now hopefully we will see the same results with the new ones. We will keep you posted.
The Deadly Duo
This week two fantastic characters completed a great job weeding the flower beds on the roundabout in Coolroe Meadows. Jarlath and Tony come together and ask us what jobs need to be done. We tell them a few things that need to be completed and away they go. We get a message to say Job Completed what’s next. Two great men!
Watch This Space
We have commissioned Cork Artist Kevin O’Brien to decorate a number of utility boxes around Ballincollig. Working with Kevin has been excellent and he has designed his pieces in line with our theme of Pollinators. He started this week on Main Street at Pyke Corner and the photos show before in preparation and during. We are looking forward to seeing the finished product and further enhancing our Main Street
Facelift on Main Street
In May we sprayed an environmentally friendly algae remover on to this building on Main Street. It certainly made a difference but this week one of our volunteers did a great job by washing the building and the difference is fantastic. It’s not perfect but it’s a great deal better. The sad thing is that BTT had to do this and not the owner!!
The Waterboys are Back!!!
This week the Two Pats also known as the Waterboys dusted off the tankers and filled them in our allotment with harvested rain water from Scoil Barra’s roof. They commenced filling the reservoirs in our planters from The West Village right though to Harrington Street. From now until October the lads will give the planters incredible care at least twice a week. We think our planters do so well because of the care the lads give them but also because of the country and western music that is constantly playing in the Pat Clarkes jeep.
This week so far they have spent 5.5 hours watering and used 2800 Litres of harvested rainwater.
Poulavone Preparation
On Tuesday Jimmy and Sunday did an amazing job preparing the 5 beds on Poulavone Roundabout for planting on Thursday evening. This work made a huge difference and made the planting much easier.
Poulavone Planting
On Thursday Poulavone Roundabout was a busy place. In the afternoon Stephen and Alan from Clockhouse Nurseries delivered and placed 350 perennial pollinator friendly plants on the five external beds and the Large Central bed. Our sincere thanks to The Clockhouse Team for their professional support and for a very generous discount.
This work would not be possible again this year without the very substantial sponsorship from Ballincollig Company O’Donovan Agri Environmental Services. We are deeply indebted to John and his Team for their commitment to the Ballincollig Community and to BTT.
On Thursday evening 10 volunteers started at 7pm and did not stop until the last plant was in the ground just after 9pm. What an incredible amount of work and what a transformation. While we worked the Bees worked away on the existing Pollinators but in the coming weeks they will have a lot more options to choose from 🐝🐝
Tuesday night
On Tuesday night Gay and Eoin were busy cleaning around the base of the trees on Main Street. Thanks also to the local staff from Cork City Council who have also been doing this job. Previously a contractor put down a porous membrane that was to keep the weeds down. While it did initially they have reappeared and because of the No Spray Policy the removal of the grass and weeds is a lot more difficult but much better for the environment.
🐝 Bees Bees Bees 🐝
We are very proud and excited to be working with the Team at The Irish Bee Conservation Project https://www.ibcp.ie/ and this week we eventually got our bee posts erected initially in our allotment. The post were to go in weeks ago but the solidarity bees had a different idea. They started laying eggs in the posts. It was truly amazing to watch Nature at work first hand and rewarding that we are playing an active role in assisting.
We have more projects in place and will report on them soon.
