ERP brings ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ to Bloom in The Park

To celebrate the first-year anniversary of ‘Batteries for Barretstown’, ERP Ireland has created a Postcard Garden at Bloom, which runs in The Phoenix Park from May 31st – June 4th. Members of the public will have an opportunity to visit the sensory garden, created by celebrated Irish garden designer, Gordon T. Ledbetter. Filled with battery bugs and butterflies, the ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ garden recreates the magic of Barretstown Castle and celebrates the successful recycling campaign.

The ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ garden took over ten days to design and build. A stand out feature of the garden is the 3D printed replica of the Barretstown Castle which is surrounded by several 100-year-old bonsai trees. The brief was to recreate the magic of Barretstown whilst driving home the importance of recycling batteries using batteries in the design.

‘Batteries for Barretstown’ aims to increase awareness of battery recycling while raising vital funds for Barretstown’s camps for children and families affected by serious illness. Batteries can be recycled free of charge in any retail store selling batteries, in schools, libraries, civic amenity sites or at one of ERP’s free recycling events held across the country and all batteries collected contribute towards the initiative.

Martin Tobin, CEO, ERP, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the success of the ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ campaign with our postcard garden at Bloom this year. There has been a significant increase in the collection of batteries since the beginning of the campaign and we hope that this will continue to rise. The message of this campaign is a hugely positive one and we hope it will continue to drive people to dispose of their waste batteries in an environmentally conscious way, whilst raising funds for the children’s charity.”

Dee Ahearn, CEO, Barretstown said: “We hope that our postcard garden will capture the imagination of Bloom visitors by giving them a glimpse of the serious fun that we have at Barretstown. We are appealing to visitors to be environmentally aware and Power Positivity at Barretstown by recycling their batteries and helping us to bring more families and children through our residential and outreach programmes.”

Gordon Ledbetter, Garden Designer, GLDA added: “It was a pleasure to be asked to design the garden for ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ at Bloom this year. I hope that it will encourage people to recycle their batteries and to Power Positivity for such a worthy children’s charity.”

Funds raised by ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ help to fund the charity’s energy costs over the next three years. ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ is running in ERP’s eight counties (Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Dublin Fingal, Limerick, Cavan, Clare and Kerry). ERP has distributed ‘Batteries for Barretstown’ recycling boxes to schools, libraries, and retail outlets to support the campaign.

Notes to editor: ERP: European Recycling Platform (ERP) was founded in 2002 as the first pan-European organisation to implement the European Union’s regulations on the recycling of electrical and electronic waste (WEEE Directive). ERP now manages a consolidated network and has developed vast international expertise, expanding its recycling services to include batteries as well as packaging. European Recycling Platform Ireland DAC was established in 2005 as a result of the success and expansion of ERP across Europe. They are Ireland’s only pan-European compliance scheme, providing WEEE and Waste Battery compliance and a B2B service to members. The 2017 target for household portable battery collections as per the Regulations was 45% of the average of the three previous years placed on market figures. ERP exceeded this target during 2017 with a Collection Rate of 51%. The 45% target continues to 2020. This marks an impressive achievement and reflects the remarkable shift in the public’s attitude towards recycling.

Barretstown Camps: Barretstown offers free, specially designed camps and programmes for children and their families living with a serious illness – supported behind the scenes by 24-hour on-site medical and nursing care. All the children and their families attend Barretstown free of charge. Everything is provided onsite, including accommodation, food and medical assistance, and all are provided at no cost to the families. Barretstown is supported by donations and by the fundraising efforts of corporate supporters, individuals and community groups. Barretstown is recognised as a centre of excellence in childhood cancer care and other serious illnesses. Children are referred to Barretstown based on their medical needs.

Gordon Ledbetter, GLDA: Gordon Ledbetter has wide experience in both corporate and residential design, and has designed theme parks in Ireland, England, Malaysia and Singapore. He has a special interest in the use of water in the landscape and is a founder member of the IWLD: The International Water Lily and Aquatic Plant Society with headquarters in the USA. He is the author of five books, including two on water gardening. His commissions have included: The Sensory Garden at Leopardstown Park Hospital; The Butterfly Park, Singapore and the Edinburgh Butterfly Park; designs for the Delta remedial centre, Carlow; Fountain Water Clock at the Jurong Bird Park; The Garden of Remembrance, St Thomas’s Church; wildlife lake, Ryewater Nursery, Dorset; The Millennium Garden of Time for Youghal County Council; chief designer for the National Garden Exhibition Centre, Co. Wicklow.; and many private commissions in Ireland, the UK and the East.