Defence Forces charity adds contactless technology to Athlone fundraiser this weekend

The Irish Defence Forces veterans' charity, ONE, has announced the introduction of new technologies to boost fundraising efforts in Athlone and elsewhere for its annual Sleeping Flags campaign.

First established in 2019, ONE's Sleeping Flags campaign was launched as a direct response to increasing levels of homelessness among ex-service personnel.

A fundraiser for Sleeping Flags will take place tomorrow (Saturday, July 28) at SuperValu on Athlone's Ballymahon Road between 10am and 6pm.

And the charity said it was introducing contactless contributions and QR code transfers in a bid to ramp up donations from the public.

ONE will trial its digital payment systems at the Athlone event and at other fundraisers in Dublin and Limerick, providing a number of ways in which people can support it.

It said that "while cash will, of course, still be very welcome," people can also opt to tap their phones or bank cards on the fundraising buckets, or on the charity’s new ID-size Near Field Communication (NFC) cards.

The various cashless methods of payment, including all website donations, will be linked to Stripe technology, ensuring a safe and secure transaction for the charity and its supporters.

Donations can also be made through the ONE website or by texting ‘FLAG’ To 50300.

ONE (Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann, or the Organisation of National Ex-service Personnel), offers housing and support to homeless veterans across Ireland, with the ultimate goal of helping ex-Defence Forces personnel access permanent accommodation.

The organisation also provides a professional counselling service to support the mental health of struggling veterans.

To date, the charity has helped more than 1,000 veterans out of homelessness and it provides 18,615 bed nights a year, between its homes in Athlone, Cobh, Dublin and Letterkenny.

Last month, Steven Shields, Veteran Support Officer for ONE spoke to the Westmeath Independent about his work with the charity. You can read the interview with Steven here.