Cobh Tidy Towns volunteers: 'We do it because we love our town'

THE residents of Cobh really do have the best of all worlds: Whether it’s the beautiful views across the harbour, the quirky and colourful eateries, businesses and homes, the majesty of the cathedral, the history and heritage all around them, or the happy buzz of tourists enjoying everything their beautiful town has to offer.

And keeping the place looking so impressive? That is a credit to the amazing people of the local tidy towns group and their supporters, who are surpassing everything that a volunteer group could possibly be expected to do.

Initially formed in 1976, the group now boasts 45 members, ranging in age from five to those happily in retirement.

Ruth and Hendrick Verwey told me all about what they have achieved so far, and their current and ongoing projects.

Cobh Tidy Towns group have a bronze medal, two silvers, and no less than seven golds to their credit down the years, and 2021 saw them win the Pride of County Cork award, and in 2022 they won the pollinator award.

“It’s lovely to win,” Ruth says, “but that’s not why we do it.

We do it for the community, and because we love our town and love to see it looking well.

Ruth, who is the vice-chair and public relations officer of the group, is a powerhouse of motivation. Her energy and commitment is hugely impressive, while Hendrick, who is a horticulturist, is a driving force behind projects that keep the tidy towns group firmly in the centre of the community.

The flowerbeds are a sight to behold, while the planters and hanging baskets are a masterclass on flower and plant arranging, bursting with colour and vibrancy.

The community effort is what has made this group such a success.

Organisations from every facet of life offer their time and energy to make Cobh a tourist destination to be proud of.

The sea scouts group join in on Saturday mornings and go litter picking and weed picking, while the group have a schools officer who engages the pupils in biodiversity and sustainability.

They also have a biodiversity officer in Colm Damery and even a sustainability officer.

Local historian Anne McSweeney offers guidance when they are designing notices and plaques.

The sailing club and the rowing club offer their services for an hour on Tuesday evenings, while various residents’ associations engage with the tidy towns in making their own areas as attractive as possible.

With the aid of a Cork County Council grant and a credit union bursary, the group have been spearheading local projects that enhance and educate.

Also, the YMCA youths aided the tidy towns in planting one of each of our native trees, 28 in total, from saplings.

Across from St Colman’s Cathedral is the Cobh Garden of Reflection. With permission from the bishop, the tidy towns group set about turning this corner overlooking the harbour into an oasis of peace. The garden was established so locals and visitors alike can reflect and remember those who died during the Covid pandemic.

The seats dotted around the garden encourage you to sit and reflect and chat to others while there. The notes of positivity and encouragement are so carefully chosen to mean something to each one of us.

The Cobh Women’s Shed have organised clothes, books and toys swaps, promoted by the tidy towns group in association with Cobh Zero Waste, and the library is used for teaching the importance of not allowing littering in the town.

In 2017, they decided to promote the use of reusable coffee mugs, and local cafes and restaurants came on board. The result was the first successful application of the reusable initiative. They then went on to tackle the issue of water bottles.

With the aid of Cork County Council, they put four bottle cages around the town, which stops sport bottles going into the normal bins. They went on to add a water refilling tap in the town park. Hendrick tells me that 2,500 litres has been dispensed from this tap, which equates to about 4,000 bottles. Stickers in shop windows encourage visitors to use the tap, and it is also featured on the town map.

Every year, the Tidy Towns group create the annual Cobh calendar. Locals and visitors are encouraged to send in their photo of the town and winners are chosen anonymously. The calendar launch raises funds for the group while the winning entries get a framed picture and all entries are displayed in the library. These calendars get sent all over the world as gifts.

The group have created a community panel where locals can offer feedback about everything from murals to transport. And they have engaged with experts in clean technologies in MTU to offer guidance and support to businesses on how to manage waste and save money.

As for the colourful houses that have become a signature of the town’s landscape, the Tidy Towns group enlisted paint experts in Dulux on the Commons Road to create a palette for homeowners to choose from. The group covered the cost of the paint.

As for a social life, the group enjoy regular coffees and an annual outing to places like Ballybunion, Skerries and Ennis where they meet other tidy towns groups and share ideas.

And that is the word that I take away from my visit to Cobh, sharing.

This group, even though they are consistent winners in the annual Tidy Towns competition, are always striving for better. If there was an award for generosity and enthusiasm, Cobh would walk off with gold.