Newsletter 15 February 2025

Sunday Litter Pick

On Sunday morning we had 26 volunteers plus 8 TY students out for our Weekly Litter Pick and works.

In total 10 bags of litter were collected plus a bag of glass. This count included bags from our daily litter picks as well.

It was great to see the bag count back to normal levels today. Our volunteers covered all the usual areas from Carrigrohane to Classes.

We really enjoyed the Cuppa afterwards at The Plaza.

9 bags litter collected.

WE HAVE A PROBLEM

Each week someone is leaving their domestic rubbish for us to collect. Well enough is enough and this week we have been in talks with Cork City Council regarding this issue. We know that a number of people including businesses are putting their domestic waste into bins and this is illegal. Our thanks to the Litter Wardens for their support. Thankfully this week they found evidence that will assist them in identifying the culprits. We will be monitoring these situations closely going forward. What people don’t realise is that if bins are constantly being abused they will be removed as has happened already.

URGENT APPEAL

URGENT.

We are low in blood & need at least 6000 donations in the next two weeks to meet the ongoing high demand from our hospitals. Please support our NATIONAL APPEAL & make an appointment today for our clinic in Gaelscoil Ui Riordain, Ballincollig on Wednesday 19th, Thursday 20th & Sunday 23rd February

You can book your appointment online on giveblood.ie or call 1800 731137.

Your support is greatly needed & appreciated at this time. Thanks IBTS.

Cork Biodiversity Hub

A new centre called the Cork Biodiversity Hub has opened in Ballincollig. It is a project of Green Spaces for Health and their collaborators SHEP (Social, Health and Education Project), and Cork Healthy Cities. Use of the space was granted to them by Cork City Council for which they are very grateful.

They share this lovely building, the former Powdermills Heritage Centre with two other organisations.

CBH is using the main room to host talks, workshops, discussions, and meetings on all things related to the environment, biodiversity and Climate Change.

Their first talk is on Thursday February 20 at 7pm at the centre. They are delighted to welcome renowned broadcaster, writer and ornithologist Jim Wilson to give a presentation on the Birds that Overwinter in Cork. If you have never heard Jim speak about birds you are in for a real treat. Jim is an authority on birdlife, his CV is hugely impressive, you may have heard him on the radio, he is a frequent guest on Mooney Goes Wild, on the Dawn Chorus Event and so much more.

The event is free, all you have to do is let them know if you are coming by dropping us an email to corkbiodiversityhub@gmail.com

They would love to see you there.

Eco Awareness Course

Ballincollig FET have an Eco Awareness Course starting in Ballincollig FET Centre on February 27th. All details below.

Monday Works

On Monday morning Gay, Tom, Keith and Sunday this started clearing leaves from the footpath near the Fire Station. They will need to return to this area again next week. Tom and Keith watered the flowers in the Parklet and then the lads we removed leaves and debris from the footpath near entrance to Muskerry Estate.

They finished off the morning by collecting 3 bags of leaves and 1 tonne bag of debris from Beech Road as a result of the residents hard work.

Amazing Work

Each year the Transition Year Students do amazing work while they are working with us. They are a fantastic group of young people who understand the guidance of Denis tackles every task with great enthusiasm and dedication.

On Sunday the TY Students finished off the cleaning of the footpath that goes from behind Westgate Foundation to Community Drive. The photos show just how much work they got done in just an hour.

WEEE Ireland Support

Following on from publication of our 2024 NTT Adjudication Report and from press coverage on our work with vapes we were contacted by WEEE Ireland with offers of support and advice in relation to Vapes and Batteries.

We were very glad of this support and this week Darren from WEEE Ireland Recycling dropped off a sealed drum to safely store vapes and batteries. When full we can text him and he will come and collect them. This type of support is extremely important and makes our work easier.

The link to their Website: www.weeeireland.ie

Hump Day Works

On Wednesday Ger H Keith and Sunday cleared leaves and silt from entrance to Hazel Grove. They also removed twigs and small branches from the green area. They filled 10 small bags and 1 tonne bag which they brought for recycling.

Busy Tuesday

Ger K, Sunday and Keith did great work on Tuesday morning cleaning the side roads off the main road through Coolroe Meadows. The photos tell the story of their work. They collected 16 reused fertiliser bags of muck which was taken for recycling.

Question… how many residents noticed the difference in their estate that day??

Thursday Trimming

On Thursday morning Jimmy and Keith started a project that needed to be done on Old Fort Road cutting back the branches on the beech hedge. The lads removed 2 tonne bags of cuttings and placed at the green skip at our base.

Unfortunately, the after photo does not capture the hard work that was done. A lot more hard work needs to be done at this site in order to get the beech hedge into a manageable shape. They removed 14 plastic bags of uncompostable leaves and sweepings for recycling. A busy morning for the two lads.

Charleville Visit

On Saturday morning we were delighted to welcome our fellow Tidy Towns Volunteers from Charleville Tidy Town to visit our Head Quarters and around Ballincollig. The weather was not too good but hopefully they have picked up some new ideas as we did from them.

Thanks to Pat and Diarmuid for acting as our ambassadors on the day.

Muintir na Tire Cork News

To open the Newsletter click HERE

News from Biodiversity Ireland February 2025

This monthly newsletter provides an update on some of the work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre and highlights upcoming events.

To open the Newsletter click HERE

Freezer full of forgotten leftovers? Mystery bags of who-knows-what lurking in the icy depths? It’s time for The Great Freezer Excavation!

This February, we’re challenging you to eat what you already have, spend less on shopping bills, and finally figure out what that rock-hard lump in the back actually is

Ready to save money, cut waste, and get real creative with your meals? Take our winter challenge—if you dare! Don’t forget to share @voiceireland.

Click HERE link to read the full blog and join the fun!

Please Donate and Support VOICE's Campaigns

Clothing banks: the good, the bad and the ugly Clothing banks are (on paper) a great way of disposing of our old clothes. But who really owns and operates the textile banks? And what happens to clothes put in textile banks ? Click HERE to read more.

1,453 classrooms around Ireland have signed up to our FUN and FREE Picker Pals Programme This is a record number of classrooms for us. We’d like to thank the 29 out of 31 local authorities who have now supported us this school year.

Waste Not Want Not, We are into composting season at the moment. We had a number of composting workshops with Men’s Shed Clonakiltiy, Women’s Shed Clonakilty where we installed a new community composter and learned all about how to compost and how to make our own brown gold.

We were also in schools with gardener Jean Perry from @glebe gardens in Baltimore.