Waterford's circular champions urged to enter awards initiative

Circular.ie, Ireland’s national platform for circular economy, has launched the Full Circle Awards 2026, and is inviting people from Waterford to nominate individuals, organisations and community groups who are leading the way in circular living, reuse, repair and sustainability in their communities.

Returning for a second year, the awards, which are funded by the Government under the Circular Economy Fund, celebrate individuals and initiatives helping communities across Ireland reduce waste, reuse resources and promote more sustainable ways of living through local activation. 

The awards will recognise impact across six categories including: Repair and Reuse Champion; Community Circular Champion; Creative Circular Design; Circular Living Advocate; Best Community Campaign and Circular Sports Champion.

Last year’s inaugural awards attracted nominations from across the country, highlighting a diverse range of projects and individuals championing circular living through repair cafes, reuse initiatives, sustainable fashion, education and creative upcycling.

Each category winner will receive a €2,000 prize along with a one-of-a-kind handcrafted trophy created from upcycled materials.

Shortlisted finalists will also benefit from national media exposure, social media promotion and features across the Circular.ie platform.

Talking about the launch, Eibhlin Fitzpatrick, Community Manager at Circular.ie, said: “Last year's awards shone a light on remarkable individuals driving Ireland's circular movement forward. We celebrated the creativity and diversity of their initiatives, inspired by the quality of nominations and the personal stories behind them."

"This year, we look forward to recognising even more dedicated individuals for their outstanding impact and tangible differences made in communities across the country," she said.

The Full Circle Awards are open to adults aged 18 and above, including community activists, volunteers, social enterprises and individuals creating circular solutions in their local areas. 

Self-nominations are also welcome.

Applications for this year's Full Circle Awards are now open and will close on Friday, July 24. 

Shortlisted finalists will be announced in August ahead of the awards ceremony taking place on September 17th.

Full details on the awards categories, eligibility criteria and nomination process are available on https://circular.ie/full-circle-awards-2026