No Excuse For Single Use!

Skerries Tidy Towns will launch their reusable cups in Super Valu Skerries on Tuesday, December 12th, at 2pm. Thanks to James and Super Valu for hosting the launch.

The 12 oz cup comes in four colours. It is made of naturally organic, rapidly renewable bamboo fibre. The lid and sleeve are made of silicone, which is BPA and phthalate free. The cup itself is dishwasher safe, naturally sterile – no taste residue – and should last for years. But when it has come to the end of its natural life, it goes back to nature along with organic compost.

The cups will retail at €9.99 and will be available in Super Valu, Gerry’s, Goat in the Boat, Skerries Mills, C&T’s, Skerries News, Olive, LA Bakery and Gerry at the station.

There will be a free coffee to go when you buy a cup on the day.

Skerries Better Energy Community (BEC) meeting, 4 December 2017

You are invited to a public meeting on Skerries Better Energy Community  (BEC) programme at 8 pm, 4 December, Old School, Skerries Community Centre

Skerries Community Association (SCA) invites you to a public information meeting to learn how communities can work together to avail of generous grants to retrofit homes, community buildings and business premises, to make them warmer and reduce energy costs. Grants of 80% are available if you are on a fuel allowance, 35% if not, 50% for community buildings and 30% for commercial buildings. At the meeting you will be able to learn more about the practicalities of the scheme and to sign up for a free assessment of the work that would be suitable for making your own house more energy efficient.

In 2016 and 2017, 150 homeowners in mid-Louth benefited from this scheme, which was managed by Dunleer Community Development Board. The total investment to date was €1.2M, and these interventions have made energy savings of 3.6 million Kilowatts.

Skerries Community Association plans to initially partner with the successful scheme in Louth managed by Dunleer Community Development Board, who are making a further application under the 2018 BEC Programme.

http://www.themarkethouse.ie/index.php/about/the-dcdb/207-dcdb-background-and-mission-statement

Funding for Better Energy Communities is provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) https://www.seai.ie/grants/community-grants/

To learn more please come along to the meeting. To help us get an idea of likely attendance please email betterenergy@skerriesca.com

Download flyer: Skerries Better Energy Community (BEC) meeting, 4 December 2017

2017 Annual General Meeting

The 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Skerries Community Association is on Friday 8 September in the Little Theatre, Skerries Community Centre from 8 p.m.

Our pre-AGM leaflet containing a review of our committees’ activities has been printed and should arrive at every household before Friday 8 September. It can be viewed online here.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU!

Why not become involved yourself?!?

  • Attend the AGM.
  • Consider volunteering. Are you someone who would enjoy working with one of the SCA committees to make Skerries an even better place?
  • Join the SCA as an ordinary member. It costs nothing and will give the SCA a stronger voice in making the case for Skerries when negotiating with Fingal County Council and other agencies. To join online just go to the Online Membership Form.

Jim Quigley Award 2017

No photo description available.

The Jim Quigley Award for Volunteer of the Year 2017 was awarded to the organisers of Skerries Water Safety Week. The award certificate was accepted by Skerries Safety Week representatives, Máire Jones, Grainne Ward accompanied by Jim Dwyer (Hon. Sec of the Dublin Water Safety Committee).

Have you seen Himalayan Balsam?

Himalayan Balsam is a pretty pink plant that was first introduced to Ireland as a garden plant, but it soon found its way out of gardens and into the countryside, where it has been spreading rapidly ever since.

In Fingal, its spread seems to be limited to two sites in Skerries, and the Skerries Tidy Towns group and Fingal County Council are keen to eradicate this invasive species.

The plant is an annual with scented, purplish-pink, slipper shaped flowers in June–August. When the large green seed pods are mature they explode when touched, scattering the seed far and wide to start new infestations next year. The seeds float and are spread further by water movements.

 

If you have seen Himalayan Balsam around Skerries when out and about, please let us know. To report Himalayan Balsam locations please email your sightings to biodiversity@fingal.ie

Please try to provide a map or a precise location with reference to the proximity of local features.

“En marche!” in the Canton of Guichen

“En marche!” is the name and slogan of the new political party of Emmanuel Macron who hopes to revitalise France.  Equally you could apply it to the group of Skerries walkers who have just spent an enjoyable week walking and hiking in the Canton of Guichen.  A 30-strong group of all ages and interests, intent on exploring the walkways and trails, were accompanied by five teenagers, who were able to sample secondary school life during their week-long stay.

Continue reading →

Online volunteering opportunity

SCA have prepared draft policy documents on:

The draft documents have been prepared by members of Skerries Community Association using online guidance from a number of government Departments and agencies but without input from persons with expertise in the areas involved. Before adopting them as official SCA policies the Board of Directors would like to have the documents reviewed by a person or persons with relevant expertise who could give constructive suggestions to improve the drafts.

​If you have expertise in any of the three areas and would like to review one or more of the documents please email: secretary@skerriesca.com indicating which document you would like to review. ​ This can then be forwarded to you in an editable format such as a Word document.

​SCA wishes to adopt the documents at their next AGM in September and would be happy to acknowledge the contribution of the reviewer(s) who contributes to improving the documents.

Posted in SCA

Community Orchestra auditions

Soundwaves are looking for young people (post-Primary level) to join a Community Orchestra.  Open to all instruments except Piano. Minimum of Grade 2 instrument level is required.

Auditions will be held on Sunday, 18th June, at Keys & Strings School of Music, Skerries.  To book your audition time, call Jing at 087 2264357.

Age Friendly Skerries at 2017 Pride of Place competition launch

At the launch of Fingal County Council’s 2017 Pride of Place Competition, Nunce McAuley, Martin Russell and Brendan Sherlock representing Age Friendly Skerries accepted a certificate in recognition of the Skerries Age Friendly Town Initiative entry advancing to the 2016 finals.

Receiving certificate for representing Fingal in the 2016 Pride of Place finals

The event took place in The Atrium, County Hall, Swords on Tuesday, February 28th.  At the event, all three groups who represented Fingal in the 2016 Pride of Place Competition were recognised for their great achievements.

Raif Costigan of Fingal County Council was MC for the evening and introduced the Mayor of Fingal Darragh Butler, Tom Dowling of Pride of Place Ireland and Paul Reid CEO Fingal County Council ​who spoke and congratulated all three groups who represented Fingal in the 2016 finals at the Belfast Waterfront last November.

Next up came presentations to the three groups in recognition of participating and representing Fingal. All three groups were invited to say a few words as to their experience of having participated in Pride of Place 2016. Each group were photographed and then group shots were taken.

The Tower singers entertained and refreshments were much appreciated to round off a very enjoyable evening.

Many thanks to all who organised a very pleasant evening