Launch of 2012 Supervalu Tidytowns Competition

The SuperValu TidyTowns competition for 2012 was today (30 March 2012)
officially launched by Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment,
Community and Local Government, together with Mr. Martin Kelleher, Managing
Director of SuperValu, main sponsors of the competition.

Speaking at the launch in Killarney, Minister Hogan said, “SuperValu and
my Department are asking people to once again ”get their hands dirty” for
SuperValu TidyTowns in 2012. Last year saw over 820 cities, towns and
villages entering the competition and it is our intention that it will be
even bigger and better this year.

The Minister also expressed his gratitude to SuperValu, the competition’s
sponsor for the past 21 years for their continued support. “I’d like to
thank SuperValu for their unwavering support which has helped to sustain
and grow this competition over the years. I am delighted that they have
come on board again for the next 5 years until 2016. It must be one of the
longest-running sponsorships of its kind in Ireland”.

Mr. Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of SuperValu added, “2012
represents a landmark year for SuperValu and the national TidyTowns
competition. We are celebrating 21 years of SuperValu’s Sponsorship of
TidyTowns, in what is one of the longest running sponsorships of its kind
in Ireland. We are also incredibly proud to be announcing that this year we
have renewed and strengthened our relationship by becoming Title Sponsor of
the SuperValu TidyTowns competition”.

We live in challenging economic and social times, but what the SuperValu
TidyTowns competition demonstrates time and again, is the total commitment
and dedication of people up and down the country to their local
communities. For us there is no better way to demonstrate our commitment to
help build vibrant local communities than through the TidyTowns Sponsorship

Minister Hogan mentioned the importance of us presenting our country in the
best possible light, as a clean and green destination to live, work and do
business in. “I am encouraging local authorities to strengthen their
links with existing community groups, including TidyTowns committees. My
Department has also been working in partnership with Volunteer Ireland to
grow voluntary effort; their website www.volunteer.ie matches members of
the public interested in volunteering with voluntary opportunities in their
own areas. I would ask TidyTowns groups to seize these initiatives.
TidyTowns has been improving the environment in which we live for over 50
years and has helped to foster Ireland’s image abroad. I would like to see
the competition continue to grow and I would encourage everybody to get out
there and do their bit for their community”.

The closing date for receipt of entries for this year’s competition is 25th
May 2012. Entry forms can be obtained from the TidyTowns Unit in the
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government – Phone
(071-9107802) or by visiting www.tidytowns.ie or www.supervalu.ie