Lidl’s Heart of Gold Campaign Is Back and This Year Feels Personal

There are more than 500,000 family carers in Ireland right now. Some of them are reading this on a phone while sitting in a hospital corridor. Some are doing it alongside a full-time job and school runs and everything else life throws at you. Many of them are doing it almost entirely unseen. Lidl Ireland is trying to change that this June with the return of its Heart of Gold campaign, and the figures behind it make for some genuinely sobering reading.

A survey carried out through the Lidl Plus app found that 63% of respondents who identified as family carers said they had felt overwhelmed and at breaking point in the last month alone. Nearly a quarter (24%) said they provide care around the clock, seven days a week. Those aren’t abstract statistics. That’s somebody’s mam. Somebody’s neighbour. Quite possibly someone you know.

The hidden cost of caring

The survey, which had over 70,100 respondents, painted a picture of just how much people are quietly giving up. Almost two-thirds (65%) of carer respondents said caring had caused them to miss out on social activities, hobbies or holidays. That included 35% who had missed time with friends or family, 16% who had missed holidays and 14% who had given up or missed out on hobbies entirely.

Six per cent said they had missed their own medical appointments because of caring responsibilities. Fourteen per cent said caring had affected their career progression or employment opportunities. And almost half (46%) expect their caring responsibilities to increase over the next five years.

It’s a lot to carry. And for many carers, the weight of it is carried quietly and without complaint.

Lidl and Family Carers Ireland charity partnership launch.

TV personality Holly Carpenter, whose father has been going through a life-altering illness, spoke at the campaign launch about her own family’s experience with carers. “With my father going through treatment, I’ve had my eyes opened to the quiet heroism that happens behind closed doors every single day,” she said. “It is a level of hard work that often goes unseen, which is why I am truly delighted to be supporting Lidl Ireland and their charity partner Family Carers Ireland. Donating isn’t just about financial support; it’s about telling every carer out there: ‘We see you, we value you, and you are not alone’.”

How you can support Heart of Gold this June

The good news is that supporting the campaign couldn’t be more straightforward. Heart of Gold pins are available now in all 191 Lidl stores nationwide for just €2, with every single cent of proceeds going directly to Family Carers Ireland. Special Heart of Gold flower bouquets are also available in store, with funds raised going towards vital services like respite care, counselling, peer support groups, crisis intervention and the charity’s National Freephone Careline.

Throughout June, Lidl colleagues across all 191 stores will also be taking part in a charity spinathon — relay-style stationary bike challenges that customers, community groups and supporters are welcome to join. Last year the spinathon raised more than €170,000 for the charity. National Carers Week runs from 8th to 14th June, with Heart of Gold Day falling on 11th June — both key moments in the fundraising calendar this month.

If you do your returns through Lidl’s Deposit Return Scheme, you can also donate those deposits in-store throughout the year to keep raising funds for carers and their families.

Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, said the findings were hard to ignore. “Our research reveals a concerning crisis for carers across the country. It is heartbreaking to see that nearly a quarter of them are providing care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We want carers to know we value and support them and the incredible work that they do in our communities every day.”

A partnership making a real difference

Lidl Ireland announced its charity partnership with Family Carers Ireland in late 2024 and has already surpassed its original three-year fundraising target of €1 million — within the first year. It has since set itself a new goal of €2 million. That’s a significant commitment, and campaigns like Heart of Gold month are central to reaching it.

Sharon Foley, CEO of Family Carers Ireland, said the ongoing support was making a tangible difference. “Family carers are the backbone of care in communities across Ireland, yet many continue to feel invisible and unsupported. Funds raised through the Heart of Gold campaign this June will help us provide essential services, including respite support, counselling, advocacy and emergency assistance for carers who are under enormous pressure.”

A €2 pin at the till. A bunch of flowers. A few minutes on a spin bike in the Lidl car park. None of it feels like very much on its own. But when you add it all up — and when you think about that 63% who said they were at breaking point last month — it starts to feel a lot more meaningful. For more information or to access support services visit familycarers.ie.