Trim TT volunteers praised for role in IBAL win

Trim Town Council hosted an appreciation night for the local tidy towns group and the council's outdoor staff last Friday night to celebrate Trim's success in winning the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) League for 2011. Trim was named as Ireland's cleanest town in the survey of 53 towns and cities carried out by An Taisce for IBAL. Trim has been litter-free since 2005 but this was the first time it won the competition. Trim was also one of nine towns to collect a Sustained Excellence award for being litter-free for five years in a row, An Taisce, which conduct the litter surveys, commented in its report on Trim: "The hard work has paid off and the citizens should appreciate what has been achieved. All sites surveyed got the top litter grade. The approach routes were particularly well-presented and this very high standard was sustained for all sites surveyed in Trim." To mark its success, Trim was awarded with a number of trees which have been planted on the town's approach roads. Trim Town Council hosted the appreciation night in Trim Castle Hotel on Friday when Trim Tidy Towns volunteers were awarded with a certificate in recognition of all their hard work around the town. Trim Town Council cathaoirleach, Cllr James O'Shea and local TD Ray Butler, paid tribute to the work of the local group and the council's outdoor staff. Tidy Towns chairperson Brian Heffernan gave a presentation outlining the group's plans for 2012, which include dry stone wall building, more hedge and tree planting, more murals to improve derelict sites, and more wildflower planting. A presentation on their projects will also be given as part of the Celtic Festival on 12th March. Tidy Towns volunteers are out every weekend carrying out clean-ups on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 9am to 11am, all year round. Last Saturday, the committee worked with residents of Newhaggard Lane to tidy the Newhaggard Road approach on both sides of the road for a mile into the town. This weekend, they will be working with the residents of Ard na Boinne on the Dublin Road to landscape the embankment in front of their estate with wildflowers. Trim has a noble record in the annual Tidy Towns Competition, claiming the national title in 1972 and 1984 and the town was named joint winner in 1974 along with Ballyconnell, Co Cavan. In last year's Tidy Towns competition, Trim retained its bronze medal for the fourth year in a row and the committee is working hard to achieve a silver medal this year. Meath County Council's anti-litter league has also just started so the committee will also be focusing on this competition.