Containers for the kids

CDS reverse vending machine in Brimbank. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

Victoria’s new Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) is making it easy for Victorians, including those in Hume and Whittlesea, to donate their container refunds to a great cause this Easter by partnering with the Good Friday Appeal.

The annual Royal Children’s Hospital fundraiser will be the first state-wide donation partner for the CDS, giving it priority placement on more than 145 reverse vending machines and promotion at more than 50 depots across the state.

The partnership will make it easy for Victorians right across the state to donate to the Good Friday Appeal by returning their containers for a 10-cent refund until April 30.

Until Easter, the Good Friday Appeal community – including the Regional Area Managers, CFA, volunteers, schools, businesses and families, will also be collecting containers to return as refund donations.

CDS Vic is trialling the Good Friday Appeal as a state-wide donation partner and will review the results to determine if a state-wide donation partner model should be adopted on a permanent basis – to help Victorian charities and community groups boost their fundraising and awareness efforts.

More than 2,000 donation partners have registered with CDS Vic so far. Beyond Blue was the top fundraiser in the scheme’s first two months, with almost $14,000 raised.

Victorians have enthusiastically embraced CDS Vic since it launched on November 1, returning more than 220 million containers and pocketing more than $22 million in refunds in just three months.

Container refunds can be exchanged for electronic or cash refunds, a retail voucher, or donated to a charity, local community or sporting group, or school registered with the scheme.

Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos said every year Victorians show their incredible generosity by donating to the Good Friday Appeal, and the new Container Deposit Scheme is a great new way to support this important fundraiser.

“We are working hard to build Australia’s most successful, convenient and accessible container deposit scheme and as the scheme grows so does the number of donations to hardworking charities and community groups,” he said.

Details:cdsvic.org.au