Helium is Westmeath winner of Lidl Green Fund

Lidl Ireland has announced Helium as the Westmeath winner of its 2025 Green Fund and the €3,000 grant is awarded to support its Creative Resilience for Children with Health Conditions programme, which provides emotional and social support to young people navigating lifelong physical health conditions.

Launched last February in partnership with Business in the Community Ireland, the Lidl Green Fund was established to support community-led projects that prioritise environmental sustainability and healthy living. Helium stood out for its innovative approach to wellbeing, using creativity as a tool to foster resilience and social connection for children who often face isolation due to their medical needs.

The €3,000 investment will facilitate the continued delivery of the charity’s online programme. Last year, the digital initiative reached more than 5,000 children across Ireland, providing them with safe, accessible spaces to engage in creative workshops from their own homes.

The sessions allow participants to forge meaningful friendships, explore their artistic talents, and build the confidence necessary to manage the challenges of living with long-term illness.

Emma McKinley of Helium stated: “We are so grateful to be named the Westmeath winner of the Lidl Green Fund. This grant is essential in helping us sustain our online programme, which provides a vital creative outlet for children living with lifelong health conditions.

“These workshops help to build resilience and ensure no child feels defined by their illness. We want to thank Lidl Ireland for supporting our mission to bring joy, creativity, and connection to children who need it most.”

Elaine O’Connor, head of Sustainability at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: “The Lidl Green Fund was created to support the grassroots projects that form the backbone of our communities. At Lidl, we believe in playing an active role in the areas we serve, and through this fund, we are able to invest in initiatives that promote social inclusion, sustainability, and long-term community welfare. We are delighted to support this year’s winners as they implement local solutions that drive real, positive change for a better tomorrow.”

Lidl Ireland was named the Most Sustainable Retailer and 6th Most Sustainable Organisation in the Ireland RepTrak® Sustainability Index 2025. Lidl Ireland also achieved the Repak Resource Awards Overall Award in the Repak Resource Awards 2025 which celebrate Ireland’s recycling and waste management leaders, innovation in circular design, responsible resource use and grassroots environmental action.

Lidl Ireland currently employs more than 5,500 people in its 190 stores, head office in Tallaght and three distribution centres (including Mullingar) and regional offices.