The SuperValu TidyTowns Competition is back returning after a year break has been welcomed by local senator Fiona O’Loughlin.
“The iconic competition was cancelled in 2020 – for the first time in over 60 years – due to the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said Senator O’Loughlin.
“But special arrangements have now been put in place to ensure the return of the competition this year, with the overall winners due to be announced before the end of the year.”
The 2021 SuperValu TidyTowns competition will take place in the same format as previous years, albeit with a specific emphasis on electronic entry and remote adjudication of each town’s entry.
Groups should continue to adhere to public health guidelines as they have done so remarkably well since the onset of the Pandemic.
The health and safety of volunteers continues to be paramount.
It is acknowledged that volunteers have not been able to deliver on all of the plans that they may have had for their towns, and the competition adjudicators will be mindful of this fact when assessing entries.
At the same time, many groups have still been very active and the standard of competition is expected to be high again this year amongst the almost 1,000 TidyTowns groups around the country.
Above all, staging the competition this year is a recognition of the extraordinary contribution volunteers continued to make to their communities, even during the Pandemic itself.
For this reason, a new award category aimed at groups that have continued to serve and look after their communities despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19 has been introduced.
There will also be a special prize for young people.