Community
PHOTOS Team Limerick Clean Up 7 sees a record-breaking 21,300 volunteers participate
Team Limerick Clean Up 7 was a huge success! Pictured are Helen O’Donnell, Mayor Daniel Butler and JP McManus met TLC volunteers on O’Connell Street. Picture: Richard Lynch/ilovelimerick.
Mayor of Limerick City and County, Daniel Butler, sponsor JP McManus and event co-founders, Paul O’Connell and Helen O’Donnell participated in the clean up
After a two year hiatus, Team Limerick Clean Up 7 returned bigger than ever on Good Friday, April 15.
A record-breaking 21,300 volunteers from across the city and county donned their familiar high viz vests, loaded up their litter pickers and set about giving the city and county the biggest spring clean to date.
Volunteers including community groups, resident’s associations, sports clubs, schools, businesses, families, and charities were all out in force to do their bit for their local neighbourhoods.
Celebrating what is a milestone year for the much-loved community event, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr. Daniel Butler, sponsor JP McManus and event co-founders, rugby legend Paul O’Connell and Helen O’Donnell were on hand to launch the event at the soon-to-be-opened International Rugby Experience on O’Connell Street.
Commenting at the launch, TLC ambassador, Paul O’Connell said, “It’s amazing to surpass 21,300 volunteers and I’d like to thank every person who gave up their time today to help make Limerick a cleaner place. Health & safety is more important than ever, and we’d encourage everyone to be particularly careful and stay safe”.
Sponsor JP McManus echoed O’Connell’s words saying, “We are incredibly thankful to every volunteer who makes TLC what it is and comes out on Good Friday to clean around their locality. It’s been quite a journey over the past seven years and Team Limerick Clean-Up has so much potential beyond just a one-day tidy-up. I’m hugely excited to see what the next seven years will bring.
“We’re also very grateful to Dunnes Stores for providing the hot cross buns to all the volunteers to enjoy after their clean-up. We couldn’t do this without the incredible support of our partners, Limerick City & County Council, Mr Binman, Limerick Leader, Limerick Post, Live 95FM, I Love Limerick and Dunnes Stores.”
This year marks the beginning of a new era for TLC with a fresh new look, a revamped website and a reinvigorated approach to tidying up litter by tackling the rapid rise in waste items such as discarded facemasks and fast-food packaging. The popular tea/coffee gatherings after the clean-up will also be held at locations throughout the city and county.
Team Limerick Clean-Up is an initiative sponsored by the JP McManus Benevolent Fund and supported by Limerick City and County Council.
TLC has seen over 400 tonnes of litter gathered from the streets by volunteers and event partner Mr Binman since inception in 2015 – equating to over 14,500 household wheelie bins with overall participation figures close to the 122,000 mark.
For more information on Team Limerick Clean Up, go HERE
For more stories on Team Limerick Clean Up, go HERE
Pictures: Kris Luszczki/ilovelimerick
Pictures: ilovelimerick
Pictures: Richard Lynch/ilovelimerick