Birr Tidy Towns aiming for Gold Medal in 2024

THE hardworking Birr Tidy Towns Committee was very happy to get a Silver Medal in this year's National Competition and they have set their sights on being awarded a Gold Medal next year.
Treasurer of the group Bernie Fanneran told The Midland Tribune that they were thrilled to win a Silver Medal this year.
“We were awarded ten more points this year than we were last year,” she pointed out. “In every category we increased our marks by at least a few points. The general feeling is that we could well do it next year and win a Gold Medal. We are only a few points off the Gold Medal.”
Bernie said next year will be their Ruby year because they are 40 years taking part in the national competition.
During a recent Birr 20:20 meeting Cllr John Carroll told Bernie that the overall mark which Birr Tidy Towns received this year was the same mark which Abbeyleix got last year, “and this year Abbeyleix won the whole thing outright. So, it's looking good for us.”
Bernie said the group has a couple of projects planned which could increase their overall mark.
“Two areas which we need to improve are the Sustainability and Tidiness / Litter sections of the competition. With Tidiness / Litter I think we'll crack it if we can get more and more of the people of Birr on board, if we can get more and more people to change their habits, such as picking up bits of litter when you see them on the footpaths and putting them in the bins.”
Birr Tidy Towns currently has 26 members, ten of whom are Ukrainians. Their HQ is the Bonamh Market on Castle Street where they have two polytunnels.
During the winter the group meets every Tuesday at 7.30pm in Dooly's Hotel and new members are always very welcome.
Future projects include creating a Pocket Park in the Moorpark Street area and a sustainable rainwater system on High Street.
Bernie also told the Tribune that the Tidy Towns picnic benches and tables on Banagher Road won't be removed when the proposed Distributor Road between Tullamore Road and Banagher Road is constructed.