2022 SPECIAL AWARD ENTRY FORMS
Our sponsored Special Awards are organised in parallel to the main competition and look to reward initiatives focused on improving your community. Entry is open to all TidyTowns Groups as well as other interested individuals or groups. We are delighted to announce some new sponsors under our Special Awards category for 2022.
If you encounter any difficulties accessing any of the special awards application forms, please contact the TidyTowns Unit for assistance by email tidytowns@drcd.gov.ie or on 01 773 6938 or 01 773 6912.
Entry into the Special Awards is purely voluntary and non-entry will not affect performance in the main competition.
Please email your completed application forms to the correct email address, clearly marked with the title of the Special Award.
No. 1
The Bat Conservation Ireland Award
Prize Fund €1,000
Sponsored by Bat Conservation Ireland
The purpose of this award is to sponsor a public mural or street artwork that promotes awareness by the public of the economic and ecological value of bats. The theme for the illustration is Bats are brilliant! The award consists of an artistic commission of €1,000 towards the project.
To apply, the local TidyTowns committee will be required to submit a short image description (ca. 300 words), the intended location of the image, dimensions of the image, and a sketch or rough drawing of the image. Photographs may be submitted to support your submission. Entries should be submitted using the Bat Conservation in Ireland application form.
Further information can be found at www.batconservationireland.org
See Entry Form here 2022 Bat Conservation Ireland Entry Form (Word)
No. 2
Tree Project Award
Prize Fund €1,000
Sponsored by the Tree Council of Ireland
The Tree Project Award recognises the huge impact that properly positioned trees can have in a town or village and the importance of having the right tree in the right place. It is essential that careful thought is put into not only the planting but also the management of the trees over their life-span. The award rewards the TidyTowns Committee which has demonstrated the highest tree placement and maintenance standards.
For more details see www.treecouncil.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 Tree Project Award Entry Form English (Word)
2022 Tree Project Award Entry Form English (PDF)
No. 3
The Climate Action Award
Prize Fund: €6,000
Sponsored by Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
The overall aim of the Climate Action Award, sponsored by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, is to recognise the input local communities can make in addressing climate change. The purpose of this award is to raise awareness of climate action, enable local communities to deliver change at a local level, and promote behaviour change in the wider community.
Further information is available by emailing Climateawards@decc.gov.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 Climate Action Entry Form (Word)
No. 4
The Air Quality Award
Prize Fund €3,000
Sponsored by Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
The Air Quality award recognises the efforts of TidyTowns groups in raising awareness of and taking action on air quality issues in their locality. This award aims to highlight how we can all take actions to improve air quality in our areas, for the benefit of all.
Further information is available by emailing airquality@decc.gov.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 Air Quality Award Entry Form (Word)
2022 Air Quality Award Entry Form (PDF)
No. 5
Sustainable Development Goals Award
Prize Fund €6,000
Sponsored by Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an ambitious set of targets that will require not only action by Government, but all individuals across society. This award aims to showcase projects and initiatives that have embraced the SDGs, and acknowledge the critical role local communities are playing in achieving the SDGs by 2030.
Further information is available by emailing SDGs@decc.gov.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 SDG Award Entry Form English (PDF)
2022 SDG Award Entry Form English (Word)
No. 6
Agent Brite Litter Awareness Award
Prize Fund €7,000
Sponsored by PEL Waste Reduction Equipment
This year PEL are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the Agent Brite Litter Awareness Award with the National TidyTowns. PEL will sponsor the ownership of two BriteBins™ to one lucky TidyTowns group. The bins will be installed in the winning town or village and PEL Waste Reduction Equipment will facilitate workshops in the local community (Schools, community organisations etc.) to promote the concept of Agent Brite and to encourage recycling on the go by segregating litter at source.
The application will be a written submission, 500 words max describing your TidyTowns approach to litter management and why you feel your community would benefit from the ‘Agent Brite Litter Awareness’ Special Award, submissions can be emailed directly to lauren@pelmfg.com
No. 7
Young Persons in TidyTowns Award
Prize Fund €5,000
Sponsored by Department of Rural and Community Development
The Young Persons Award is aimed at the 16 to 24 age group who are actively involved in projects and initiatives of their local TidyTowns group throughout the year.
Entries under the Young Persons Award should demonstrate how TidyTowns groups actively involve young people in the 16 to 24 age group in contributing on an ongoing basis to their local TidyTowns activities, including through their membership of, or direct engagement with, the Groups. It is not open to schools to apply.
See Entry Form here 2022 Young Persons Award Entry Form English (Word)
No. 8
The RIAI Town Challenge
Prize Fund €5,000
The award is open to Small Town (1,001 to 5,000) and Large Town (5,001 to 15,000) categories only
Sponsored by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) is providing the services of a Registered Architect to work with a local TidyTowns Committee to create a visionary urban design solution to a problem in your town. The award consists of an architectural commission.
For more details please visit www.riai.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 RIAI Town Challenge Award Entry Form (Word)
No. 9
The RIAI Shopfront Award
Prize Fund €2,000
This competition is open to the Village, Small Towns and Large Town categories.
Sponsored by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
The RIAI Shopfront Award is a Special Award, designed to raise awareness and promote good shopfronts in Irish towns and villages. The RIAI Shopfront Collaboration Award aims to support a TidyTowns Committee who wish to provide guidelines for the design of shopfronts in a historic context with the help of a Registered Architect.
For more details please visit www.riai.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 RIAI Shopfront Award Entry Form (Word)
No. 10
The RIAI Good Windows Award
Prize Fund €500
This award is open to the Village, Small Towns and Large Town categories.
Sponsored by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
The RIAI Good Windows Award is a Special Award to promote appropriate windows in Irish towns and villages. The streets of Irish towns and villages are composed of both historic and modern buildings. Well-kept historic windows and well-designed modern windows are equally valid.
For more details please visit www.riai.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 RIAI Good Windows Award Entry Form (Word)
No. 11
The Waters and Communities Award
Prize Fund €7,000
Sponsored by Inland Fisheries Ireland, Waterways Ireland and the Local Authority Waters Programme
The award is open to any community group who has shown an appreciation for their water environment and water heritage by showing examples of initiatives undertaken during 2021 (examples include: support to biodiversity and water heritage; citizen science; promotion of angling; awareness raising events and initiatives; clean ups of local waterbodies; provision or upgrading of amenities, etc.)
Entry Portal available shortly
For more details see www.watersandcommunities.ie
No. 12
Leave No Trace TidyTowns Award
Prize Fund €1,000
Sponsored by Leave No Trace Ireland
Now in its third year, the Leave No Trace TidyTowns Special Award recognises communities for their significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment and the promotion of responsibility in the outdoors. Through recognising these communities, Leave No Trace Ireland seeks to inspire other communities to take extraordinary actions to protect and promote responsible outdoor recreation. Apply today and tell us what your group has achieved.
For more information please see www.leavenotraceireland.org
See Entry Form here 2022 Leave No Trace Entry Form (Word)
No. 13
Heritage Award
Prize Fund €1,000
Sponsored by the Heritage Council
The Heritage Award, sponsored by the Heritage Council, aims to promote awareness of the importance of our local heritage and how it can contribute to a sense of place and belonging.
Heritage includes buildings, monuments and collections and also our landscapes, native wildlife and woodlands, seascapes, geology, heritage gardens and parks, inland waterways, folklore and crafts.
For more details, please email vkelly@heritagecouncil.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 Heritage Award Entry Form English (Word)
2022 Heritage Award Entry Form English (PDF)
No. 14
All-Ireland Pollinator Plan – Local Authority Pollinator Award
Prize Fund €10,000
Sponsored by Heritage Offices & Biodiversity Offices of Local Authorities across Ireland, in partnership with the National Biodiversity Data Centre
The Local Authority Pollinator Award aims to encourage TidyTowns groups to implement pollinator-friendly actions in their towns and villages as part of the TidyTowns competition. Wild Irish bees, crucial to the pollination of our plants, trees and vegetables, are in decline – this is because we’ve drastically reduced the areas where they can nest and the amount of food our countryside provides for them. The aim of the award is to reverse this trend by encouraging TidyTowns groups to take simple pollinator-friendly measures in their local area. The Local Authority Pollinator Award supports the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and is sponsored by the Heritage Offices & Biodiversity Offices of Local Authorities across Ireland.
For more details see www.pollinators.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 Local Authority Pollinator Award Entry Form English (Word)
2022 Local Authority Pollinator Award Entry Form English (PDF)
No. 15
The EPA Circular Economy Award
EPA CIRCULAR ECONOMY AWARD
PRIZE FUND €2,000
Sponsored by The Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA Circular Economy Award is to recognise communities that have undertaken activities that support a circular economy. In a circular economy waste is prevented and products are reused or repaired for reuse. By preventing waste and supporting the circular economy we can make the most of our resources while protecting the environment. Any initiatives to reduce the use or consumption of resources (materials, products, water, energy), sharing resources/products, reuse, repair or remanufacture are included; whether by the community, householders, businesses, schools, with your local authority, or other organisations. Work done under the main competition category ‘Sustainability – doing more with less’ can be relevant to this special award.
For more details please email cep@epa.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 EPA Circular Economy Award Entry Form English (Word)
2022 EPA Circular Economy Award Entry Form English (PDF)
No. 16
Save The Bees School Award
Prize Fund €5,000
Sponsored by SuperValu
The Save the Bees School Award is an initiative by SuperValu which encourages schools to share what they have implemented in Biodiversity projects in their school. This year SuperValu are looking for Primary Schools that showcase the significant contribution to biodiversity projects developed in the school and to also share any future plans to further enhance this topic in the classrooms.
A finalist group from each of the four regions will be chosen, with each finalist group receiving €1,000. The overall winner will then receive an additional €1,000.
For more details see
See Entry Form here 2022 SuperValu Save the Bees School Award Entry Form English (Word)
No. 17
SUPERVALU AND ASIAM INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES AWARD
PRIZE FUND €2,000
Sponsored by SuperValu and AsIAm
This award aims to recognise the outstanding work done by committees in embracing and including the autism community. SuperValu and AsIAm are working in partnership to promote the creation of more inclusive communities and this award is to acknowledge the hard work done by the committees who are making changes to promote and facilitate inclusivity of the autism community.
A prize of €2000 will be awarded to the TidyTowns committee who best demonstrates how they promoted the inclusion of the autism community through autism friendly projects and initiatives.
Resources and information regarding autism friendly practices are available on supervalu.ie, AsIAm.ie and ILoveClonakilty.ie.
For more details see www.AsIAm.ie or www.supervalu.ie
See Entry Form here 2022 SuperValu AsIAm Inclusive Communities Award Entry Form English (Word)
