ATU Recycling Drive raises over €15,000 for North West Hospice

A recycling initiative at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) has raised more than €15,000 for North West Hospice Charity, supporting patients and families across Leitrim and the wider North West.

The bottle and can return scheme has generated €15,452.60 to date, the equivalent of almost 100,000 containers returned under Ireland’s deposit return system.

The funds are being used to support a range of hospice services, including clinical care, night nursing, family accommodation, staff training, facility maintenance, and wellbeing programmes for care teams.

A spokesperson for North West Hospice Charity said the funding was making a meaningful contribution to services across the region. Robert Craig, ATU Sligo Recycling Initiative Coordinator, said the campaign showed how everyday actions on campus could lead to practical results.

ATU President Dr Orla Flynn said the initiative reflected the university’s focus on sustainability and community engagement. Lecturer and volunteer Mary Nolan said she had seen the value of hospice services when her mother was a patient in 2022.

Student volunteer Lauren said the scheme encouraged students to think more carefully about the impact of small daily choices. Xavier Velay, Head of Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at ATU Sligo, and Dr John Scahill of the ATU ESD Academy also welcomed the project, describing it as a practical way of linking sustainability with social responsibility.

ATU said the success of the programme depended on the ongoing work of students, staff, and support workers, including canteen and cleaning staff, who help manage the day-to-day operation of the scheme.

The university also acknowledged the role of Robert Craig in coordinating the initiative. The recycling programme remains in operation across the ATU Sligo campus, with further funds expected to be raised over the coming months.

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