Litter Patrols carried out in Dalkey during 2008

a) Collection of litter took place in Dalkey throughout the year of 2008
b) These were usually twice weekly and sometimes three times, during the summer time and once a month during     the winter
c) The locations were:-
       1. Castle Street Dalkey each Tuesday at 10.30am and covering the local problem areas.
       2. Dillon's Park, Sorrento Park & Coliemore Road, on Thursday's at 11am.
d) Members of the public are encouraged to take part, and we advertised the locations and asked for volunteers in the     following ways:-
      1. An announcement in the Dalkey Community Council Newsletter. This is a publication delivered to 3,000 homes          and businesses in the area and available on www.dalkeyhomepage.ie
      2. Posters were placed on two notice boards in the town.
      3. Pulpit announcements from our two local churches and their newsletters.
      4. Announcements at any meetings we attended.
      5. Local clubs were circulated and asked to clean a specific area (cubs, scouts, brownies, Cuala sports, old folks,           etc.) with an 80% success rate.
e)  The number of volunteers varied considerably. Sometimes two or three people and other times as many as ten
     + groups of pupils from one of the local schools, coupled with helpers from St. John of Gods.
f)  The type of litter collected was varied:
       1. Cigarette ends, mainly outside public houses.
       2. From overflowing litterbin's especially following sunny weekends.
       3. Drink cans and fast-food packaging, from the car park and places where young people meet in the evenings.
       4. Drink cans, bottles, fishing equipment and picnic packaging, even syringes, from Dillon's Park that is on a rocky            coast and has wooded areas.
       5. Large items such as refrigerators and mattresses left in a public car park we arrange to be collected.
g) These litter-picking sessions were considered successful:
       1. Members of the public often stop to compliment us on what we were doing, and offer apologies for their
           lack of time or ability.
       2. A small number of local residents usually joined the committee members.
       3. We won major awards in local DLRCC competitions.
       4. Dalkey Tidy Town's profile was raised considerably.