2023 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 2023.
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
Tree Project Award
Closing Date 02/06/2023
Prize Fund €1,000
Sponsored by the Tree Council of Ireland
The Tree Project Award recognises the significant impact that trees can have in a town or village. It is essential that careful thought is put into not only the planting but also the management of the trees over their lifespan. This award recognises the TidyTowns Committee which has demonstrated the highest commitment to creating an urban woodland atmosphere. Equally, the project can be centred around the protection of old and established trees; trees that are of natural, historical, cultural, botanical or landscape significance within a community. Consideration will be given to the benefit of the project to the community and the size and scale of the work carried out
Applications should be submitted using the Tree Project Award entry form and be supported with at least four images which show before the project was undertaken and after.
For more details see www.treecouncil.ie
See Entry Form here
2023 Tree Project Award Entry Form English
2023 Tree Project Award Entry Form English
No. 2
Gum Litter Taskforce Award
Closing Date 02/06/2023
Prize Fund €5,000
Sponsored by the Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT)
The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) aims to increase awareness of the chewing gum litter issue by influencing a positive behavioural change around gum litter disposal and stronger enforcement of the €150 fine. The GLT would like to reward communities that are implementing environmental awareness initiatives to eliminate chewing gum litter in their area.
For more info, please visit www.gumlittertaskforce.ie
See Entry Form here
2023 Gum LitterTaskforce Entry Form English
No. 3
The Climate Action Award
Closing Date 09/06/2023 by 5pm
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 and promote climate literacy, 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
2023 Climate Action Entry Form
No. 4
Young Persons in TidyTowns Award
Closing Date 029/06/2023
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.
For more details, see www.tidytowns.ie
See Entry Form here
2023 Young Persons Award Entry Form English
No. 5
Sustainable Development Goals Award
Closing Date 02/06/2023
Prize Fund €6,000
Sponsored by Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 globally agreed goals to end poverty, protect the planet and secure peace and prosperity for all. The SDGs belong to everyone and everyone can make a contribution to achieving the goals. A key commitment under the 2030 Agenda is that no one should be left behind. Throughout the entry form you will see where many of the goals are aligned to the different TidyTowns categories. Please identify, if applicable, under each category where your projects or initiatives aim to address one or more of the SDGs. The TidyTowns competition has links to many of the goals and we would welcome any attempt made by TidyTowns committees to highlight these goals and raise awareness of them in your community.
Further information on the SDGs can be found by visiting: www.gov.ie/sdgs
See Entry Form here
5 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Application Form
No. 6
THE RIAI TOWN CHALLENGE AWARD
Closing Date 02/06/2023 by 4pm
PRIZE FUND €5,000
The award is open to the Small Towns and Large Towns categories.
Sponsored by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
Towns and villages are great places to live, work and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) is delighted to support TidyTowns Committees who are involved in the regeneration or creation of such places with the services of a Registered Architect. The Architect will work with a local TidyTowns Committee to prepare a high-level shared urban design ‘vision’ to help solve a problem in your town. The award consists of an architectural commission.
If your town or village has difficulties, for example with derelict sites, signage, lack of public space, traffic or parking issues, this RIAI Award will give you the opportunity to work with a Registered Architect to develop a vision for an urban design that can help solve a problem and enhance your town or village. Registered Architects are trained to develop and deliver solutions for our built environment.
The commissioned Registered Architect will provide an analysis of the problem as initially identified by the local TidyTowns Committee, in addition to developing a concept/vision to address it. The commission will result in an illustrated Report, which will be made publicly available and a presentation to the local TidyTowns Committee.
This is an RIAI sponsored Special Award to promote good urban design in Irish towns and villages. The award consists of an architectural commission to the value of €5,000.
In order to apply, the local TidyTowns committee will complete the entry form, including a short paragraph which identifies the positive characteristics of the town, as well as its problems. This should be supported with photographs.
The closing date for this Special Award is Friday, 2 June 2023.
For more details please visit www.riai.ie
See Entry Form here
2023 RIAI Town Challenge Award Entry Form
No. 7
SUPERVALU AND ASIAM INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES AWARD
Closing Date 02/06/2023
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 and AsIAm.ie
For more details see www.AsIAm.ie or www.supervalu.ie
See Entry Form here
SuperValu AsIAm Inclusive Communities Award Entry Form English
No. 8
THE RIAI GOOD WINDOWS AWARD
Closing Date 02/06/2023 by 4pm
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
2023 RIAI Good Windows Award Entry Form
No. 9
Leave No Trace Award
Closing Date 02/06/2023
Prize – Awareness Training for 15 people valued at €1,100, access to online Leave No Trace Resources and promotion across social media.
Sponsored by Leave No Trace Ireland
Now in its fourth 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
9 2023 Leave No Trace Entry Form
No. 10
The Waters and Communities Award
Closing Date 09/06/2023 by 5pm
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.)
This special Award is sponsored by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) www.fisheriesireland.ie (responsible for managing the inland fisheries and sea angling sectors); Waterways Ireland www.waterwaysireland.org (responsible for the management of inland navigable waterways) and the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) www.lawaters.ie (working with communities to get involved in caring for local waterbodies).
No. 11
Heritage Award
Closing Date 02/06/2023
Prize Fund €3,000
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 mail@heritagecouncil.ie
See Entry Form here
Heritage Award Entry Form English Word
Heritage Award Entry Form English PDF
No. 12
All-Ireland Pollinator Plan – Local Authority Pollinator Award
Closing Date 09/06/2023
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
2023 Local Authority Pollinator Award Entry Form English
No. 13
EPA CIRCULAR ECONOMY AWARD
Closing Date 02/06/2023
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
2023 EPA Circular Economy Award Entry Form English Word
2023 EPA Circular Economy Award Entry Form English PDF
No. 14
Tiny TidyTowns Schools Award
Closing Date 02/06/2023
Prize Fund €5,000
Sponsored by SuperValu
SuperValu are introducing a new primary school award called Tiny TidyTowns.
We all want our kids to understand and experience the wonder of growing their own food and the importance of protecting local biodiversity, so that they can grow up in a healthier world.
So, this year SuperValu are calling on all Primary schools to show all the great work they are doing to improve their school and classroom environments.
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 www.supervalu.ie
See Entry Form here
SuperValu Tiny TidyTowns School Award English
