Mayo charity wins top honour at national charity awards

Westport-based Leave No Trace Ireland has been named the overall winner of the 2025 Small Charity, Big Impact Award at the Charities Institute Ireland (CII) Charity Excellence Awards, held at Dublin's Mansion House last week.

“This award recognises what can happen when collaboration, innovation and shared purpose come together - and this is such a huge moment for our team, partners, members, volunteers, and everyone who shares our mission to protect Ireland’s beautiful natural places”, Maura Kiely CEO, Leave No Trace Ireland said.

The prestigious award recognises organisations that demonstrate exceptional impact relative to their size, highlighting Leave No Trace Ireland's success in combining collaboration, innovation and shared purpose to protect the country's natural environment.

Significant Reach and Impact

The charity's achievements over the past year demonstrate the scale of its work across Ireland:
The organisation's Love This Place campaign reached 5.9 million people, promoting responsible outdoor recreation nationwide. Leave No Trace Ireland also expanded its Primary Schools and Corporate Training programmes, bringing environmental education to a wider audience.

In a significant community partnership initiative, the charity developed the Croagh Patrick Ambassador Programme working with local communities around the iconic Mayo mountain. The organisation also delivered the Experiential Level 6 Award in collaboration with Munster Technological University (MTU) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

Volunteers contributed over 12,000 hours nationwide to the charity's various programmes, whilst a comprehensive national review of the Leave No Trace 7 Principles Programme was completed to ensure the initiative remains relevant and effective.

Collaborative Approach
The award recognises Leave No Trace Ireland's collaborative model, which brings together volunteers, corporate partners, educational institutions, and local communities in a shared mission to protect Ireland's natural heritage.

"This recognition is a reflection of what we can achieve together - inspiring responsible outdoor recreation and protecting Ireland's environment for future generations," Kiely added.

The charity's work focuses on educating the public about sustainable outdoor practices through its seven core principles, aimed at minimising environmental impact whilst enjoying Ireland's landscapes.

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