Westport Tidy Towns committee calls for new members

Tidy Towns committee calls for new members to help in 2010


Áine Ryan

As the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of multi-award winning Westport Tidy Towns committee approaches, the committee has called for new members. The nationally, and internationally acclaimed committee is set to hold its AGM in the Plaza Hotel on Thursday, February 25 next. 
Speaking to The Mayo News last week, its Chairwoman, Pamela Flanagan observed that Westport Tidy Towns is ‘much more than about picking up litter’. She highlighted the positive outcome and subsequent accolades received from this strong and dedicated community spirit of volunteerism.
“Everybody living in the town is part of Westport Tidy Towns. Of course, we particularly appreciate all our volunteers who have been so committed over the years. And we now want to invite new members to join in with that spirit of volunteerism,” Pamela Flanagan said.
“Westport Tidy Towns is open to all sections of the community. First and foremost this group is about the community and enhancing our town for the benefit of the community,” she continued.
Mr Frank Dolan, the Vice Chairman said: “At this point, after our many recent successes, we want to broaden our horizons over the coming years and that is why we are calling for new members.”
He said that many other towns throughout the country have benefited by Westport’s experience and huge successes in both the annual national Tidy Towns award, as well as its international successes in the European Entente Florale and Communities in Bloom.
“Because of our successes we have travelled the length and breadth of Ireland to talk to and advise other committees about how to be successful in the competition,” Frank Dolan added.
Moreover, Pamela Flanagan welcomed the consequent higher standards and increased competition.
“We are delighted that because of our input and our sharing of ideas with other committees, it is now more competitive,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Westport committee has sent out over 500 invitations to a broad section of the community for the upcoming AGM. With roots going back to pre-1991, Westport Tidy Towns committee was initially established as a sub-committee of Westport Tourism. By 1999, under the chairmanship of Cllr Peter Flynn, it had won a bronze medal in the European Entente Florale Awards. Two year later, it won the overall title in the National Tidy Towns competition. That then became a hat-trick when they repeated their success in 2006 and 2008.
This year’s AGM will be MC’d by Sean Staunton and with addresses by a number of guests.