Mayo people urged to apply for sustainable national circular awards

A new national initiative, the Full Circle Awards, is on a mission to find Ireland’s circular living heroes, including a Young Circular Star, and it’s calling on the people of Mayo to help.

Launched by Circular.ie, the Full Circle Awards celebrate the individuals and communities quietly leading the way in reuse, repair, recycling, and sustainable living. These awards, which will close for submissions at 5pm on Friday, July 25 shine a light on Ireland’s unsung champions of the circular economy.

Residents of Mayo are encouraged to recognise and nominate local heroes who are making a difference through everyday sustainable actions in their homes, workplaces, clubs, or across the wider community. These actions could include organising clothes swaps, embracing zero-waste living, hosting repair workshops, upcycling everyday items, or bringing people of all ages together to champion circular living.

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As part of the search, Circular.ie is calling for entries for the Young Circular Star category for young people aged 10-17 who are passionate about putting sustainable ideas into action. Nominations for people from Mayo for the Full Circle Awards are open across six categories, including the Young Circular Star category:

Young Circular Star (Under 18):Celebrating children or young people leading the way in sustainability and circular thinking  in school, at home, or in their community.

Repair and Reuse Champion: For individuals who regularly repair, repurpose, or extend the life of items including clothing, tools, furniture, or electronics.

Community Circular Champion: Honouring people who lead or support community initiatives like sharing libraries, swap events, food waste solutions, or local repair cafés.

Creative Circular Artist: For those who transform waste materials into art, furniture, décor, or other creative expressions through upcycling.

Circular Living Advocate: For individuals who live by and promote zero-waste, low-impact lifestyles including educators, content creators, and everyday role models.

Best Community Campaign: Shining a light on the best campaigns (community activity or marketing initiative) that Circular Economy community groups are running in Ireland.

The winner from each category will receive a prize of €2,000, as well as the opportunity to receive dedicated, expert communications mentoring for their circular initiatives. 

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Speaking about the awards, CEO of The Rediscovery Centre, Claire Downey said: “The Full Circle Awards are a fresh and inspiring way to recognise the incredible efforts of ordinary people in Mayo who are doing extraordinary things. All across Ireland, individuals and communities are already embracing circular actions, often without even realising it, through simple but powerful actions like repairing, reusing, and reducing waste.

“We’re really excited to receive nominations from Mayo and to discover the stories behind these local changemakers. By showcasing their efforts, we hope to not only celebrate their impact but also inspire others to rethink how we live, keep valuable materials out of landfill, and move toward a more sustainable future.”

A distinguished and diverse panel of experts in sustainability, the circular economy, and environmental innovation has been appointed to the Full Circle Awards judging panel.

The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday, 25th July 2025 and submissions can be made through the online form at www.circular.ie/full-circle-awards. 

The Full Circle Awards project is dedicated to informing, engaging and enabling Irish citizens to participate in and benefit from the circular economy. Circular.ie is run by The rediscovery centre, Ireland’s National Centre for the Circular Economy.

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