€167,000 Raised to Support Seriously Ill and Vulnerable Children Across Ireland

Dublin, June 16, 2025: Re-turn, operator of Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme, today celebrates the first anniversary of its initiative with six of Ireland’s leading children’s charities – Barretstown, Barnardos, Childline by ISPCC, the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice and Make-A-Wish Ireland – under the Return for Children initiative.

Since its launch on June 12, 2024, the campaign has raised €167,000 through the return of almost 1million containers, directly supporting over 165,000 children and families in need across Ireland. This is the first time six charities have worked together on a nationwide initiative and directly addresses the challenge of increased competition within the sector by providing a unique option for individuals to support multiple charities simultaneously through deposit returns.

In total, over 1.43 billion containers have been returned nationwide since the Deposit Return Scheme launched in 2023—demonstrating its growing environmental and social impact.

Coinciding with the one-year milestone, Return for Children is expanding its reach through a new collaboration with Tesco Ireland. From this week, Tesco’s Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) will feature a dedicated donation button, allowing customers to donate their deposits directly to the Return for Children initiative, which will also include Tesco’s own charity partner, Children’s Health Foundation. The move makes donating even more accessible and brings the initiative to all participating Tesco stores nationwide.

Since its inception, Return for Children has helped towards funding a variety of programmes and services delivered by the six partner charities. These include:

• Therapeutic camps and programmes for children with serious illnesses (Barretstown)
• Crisis support lines and digital safety services (Childline by ISPCC)
• Providing in-home nursing and respite care for children with severe learning disability often associated with complex medical needs (Jack & Jill Foundation)
• Providing specialist hospice and palliative care for children, and therapeutic, and bereavement support for their families nationwide (LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice)
• Wish experiences for children facing life-threatening conditions (Make-A-Wish Ireland)
• Family support services and practical interventions for vulnerable children (Barnardos)

Originally launched through major national events and venues, the campaign continues to thrive. Collections at festivals and sporting fixtures have made a significant contribution to both funds raised and public awareness.

Upcoming events where the public can donate their containers through the orange-branded Return for Children bins on-site include Dua Lipa (Aviva Stadium), Oasis (Croke Park) and Electric Picnic (Stradbally, Laois).

In a joint statement, the six charities said, “We are immensely proud of our first year working together as part of the Return for Children campaign. The funds raised are making a tangible difference to the lives of children across Ireland. This collaboration with Re-turn has not only provided a new and innovative way to raise much-needed funds but has also given us the opportunity to reach more people, raise awareness of our causes, and promote environmental sustainability.”

Deirdre Walsh, CEO of The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation said, “We are so proud to be part of this sustainable fundraising initiative. It has been a pleasure to work alongside our colleagues across the sector – the spirit of collaboration has been fantastic! We look forward to the evolution of this initiative with all our partners in Return for Children”

Ciaran Foley, CEO of Re-turn, said, “On behalf of everyone at Re-turn, I want to express our immense pride in the incredible impact Return for Children has made in its first year. This success is a testament to the dedication of our charity partners and the generosity of the Irish people, who have embraced the mission to support our most vulnerable children while also championing environmental sustainability. We look forward to continuing to build on our work to date and find new fundraising opportunities in the year ahead.”

The Return for Children initiative will continue to grow, with new collection points, expanded retail and corporate partnerships, and greater event participation. It stands as a model for how simple, everyday actions—like returning a plastic bottle or can—can power large-scale social good.