A new year has rolled around and that can mean only one thing – the Return for Change Roadshow is doing its thing yet again. But what is its thing, I hear you ask. Well, it basically means that some lovely people from VOICE roll into town with our wonderful reverse vending machine-infused trailer to spread the word of the deposit return scheme which is fast approaching. So fast, in fact, that we are now just 10 months and some weeks away from deposits being placed on bottles and cans in shops and supermarkets up and down the country.
As a famous Cork man once said, there’s no better place in Ireland than Dublin and so it was that we decided to kick off our roadshow this year with a jaunt up to Ballymun, at the behest of Dublin City Council, for Better Ballymun Day. This day was developed by the students of Trinity Comprehensive to mobilise local clubs, community groups, organisations and companies to take part in a Day of Action. A day when the community of Ballymun come together and work together on a day of actions to make their Ballymun even better.
Ballymunners won’t mind me saying that there’s something of a mad energy up there, rarely seen outside of it. This meant that, even though Ballymun’s trademark chill-to-the-bone wind and cold was in full effect, it did nothing to dampen the great enthusiasm and the banging tunes that were to be felt and heard around HQ, i.e. the front of Trinity Comp.
And it wasn’t just us representing VOICE, the Picker Pals were there too, to help out with the litter picking in the area and greatly adding to the pageantry and spectacle. Everyone was delighted to get a go of our reverse vending machines and genuinely happy to hear about how the deposit return scheme will work and how it will benefit the area. If you would like us to visit you and spread the DRS word, all you have to do is call.