NORTH Belfast mental health charity Pips is to benefit from a new scheme by a local social enterprise that will see them receive £1 for every tonne of material recycled.

The ‘Recycling Rewards’ are operated by Bryson Recycling and for every tonne of glass, paper and plastic collected through kerbside boxes, £1 will be donated to Pips, the chosen charity for the second year of the scheme

Eric Randall, Director at Bryson Recycling, said the scheme raised a lot of money last year and he was confident it would be as successful in 2017.

“We are delighted to be co-ordinating this initiative, it’s an excellent example of how a social enterprise can operate,” he said. “Bryson currently process recyclables collected from around 60 per cent of households in Northern Ireland and we recognise the importance of ensuring a quality supply of materials are supplied to local companies for them to make end products locally.

“Through this campaign we hope to plant a seed in people’s minds that recycling more will have a positive impact not just in our environment and economy but in our local communities as well.

“We are proud to support PIPS as their vital work in the community has the potential to save someone’s life as well as providing support to families that have been affected by suicide or addiction. We look forward to developing our partnership with PIPS throughout the campaign, raising awareness of such an important issue.”

The Recycling Rewards campaign is aiming to collect 15,000 tonnes of recycled material and the money raised will help Pips continue its important work in the community supporting those affected by – and at risk from – suicide.

Bryson Recycling sends the paper, plastic and glass they collect in their kerbside box areas to the three campaign partners – Cherry Pipes, Encirc and Huhtamaki – who all reprocess materials collected from Bryson Recycling on a weekly basis. The firms work with well-known brands such as McDonalds, Bushmills and Baileys to provide quality products worldwide, including plastic pipes, glass bottles and egg boxes.

Martina McIlkenny, Care Team Manager with Pips, said: “Suicide rates are on the increase in Northern Ireland and it’s essential that we are able to continue to provide a range of services for those who are contemplating ending their life, have addiction problems or loved ones who have been affected. Our work is not government funded so the campaign will help us keep our doors open. Recycling is something so simple that we all take for granted and do on a daily basis.

It’s vital that we are able to educate on understanding of signs of suicide and provide immediate, appropriate services for everyone affected.

“This partnership is a great approach to recycle unwanted waste and will also give hope and offer new life to many of our users.”