The Big BIG Fermanagh Litterpick
On the 28th and 29th April 2023, the Lough Erne Landscape Partnership (LELP) hosted The Big BIG Fermanagh Litterpick; funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and supported by Live Here Love Here and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. With help from funders and supports, LELP were able to provide those who signed up with free litter picking equipment which they were encouraged to keep as part of the legacy of LELP, in the hopes that members of the community would continue to collaborate with each other and look after the cleanliness of Fermanagh.
Around 450 people, community groups and businesses signed up to dedicate a part of their work week and weekend to tidy up the county, with 50 separate litter picks taking place over the course of two days – LELP was blown away by the volunteer response and even more so by the pride and responsibility that participants felt for conserving their local landscape.
From the top of Cuilcagh Mountain, to the vast lengths of Lough Erne, members of the community rallied together to cherish and protect all corners of Fermanagh. As LELP receive event feedback from their participants, they are proud to report, that together, the community has collectively volunteered over 1000 hours of litter picking and have collected over 240 bags of litter
This event was documented by the LELP team to create an educational video about conserving the environment, which will be featured on the LELP Education Portal ‘Education Without Walls’, due to launch in early June.
LELP hopes to have inspired people to not only collect litter when they see it, but to also use less, throw away rubbish correctly and recycle where you can. Fermanagh’s natural landscapes should be cherished by all, especially by those who are so lucky to call it home.
Thank you to all the incredible volunteers who made this event as spectacular as it could be. From those who took part with their neighbours to those who took part on the water, thank you.
Here is a list of the groups involved with the litterpick:
Cancer Connect (NI) Devenish Dragons
14th Fermanagh scout group
Annagh Social Farm CIC
The Magic Roundabout Nursery
Walkers and Talkers Derrygonnelly
Clabby community group
Aughakillymaude Community Association
St. Martin’s PS
Lisnarick Community Development Association
Marble Arch Caves
Lisbellaw Area Rural Community Development
The Boatyard Distillery
The Hub Garrison Community Group
Erne Integrated Primary School
Soroptimist Club Enniskillen & District
Youth Justice Agency
Tattygar PS
Encirc
Erne Paddlers
Blue Green Yonder
Row the Erne
Waterways Ireland
PSNI Local Neighbourhood Teams
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
