VIDEO: Minister visits Athlone African group's monthly Greenway clean-up

The Athlone African Community Group has started carrying out a monthly clean-up of litter along the Old Rail Trail greenway between Garrycastle and the town centre.

Their initiative is part of the Westmeath County Council 'Green Kilometre' scheme, which invites individuals and groups to get involved in looking after their own locality.

On Sunday last, Minister of State Robert Troy stopped by to thank the group for their efforts.

"It's really good to have such a strong, vibrant community group signing up to this," he said. "I hope you get something out of it too, in terms of interacting and meeting people along the route."

He added that he had spoken to one of the group's organisers, Noel Maimba, and was aware that when restrictions lift the group was hoping to collaborate more with other organisations in the locality.

The Athlone African Community group was established in early 2020, and in addition to the litter pick-ups it has been making face masks which it distributed to a number of businesses and organisations in the town.

Minister of State Troy's remarks to the group on Sunday can be viewed here: