Deliveroo has announced that it will be putting photos of missing persons on their riders' food bags.
The delivery company has said their riders will carry pictures of missing Trevor Deely and Gerard Taylor from Dublin, as well as Barry Coughlan from Cork, and Mark Smyth, last seen in Ardee, Louth, on delivery bags.
The move comes as part of their Bring them Home campaign in Ireland which will run throughout December.
The company has partnered with with the National Missing Persons Helpline with the hopes of raising awareness of missing people in Ireland and help bringing missing loved ones home this Christmas.
100 Deliveroo riders will carry backpacks across Dublin and Cork which will feature the images and details of the missing men during the month of December.
A similar campaign in the UK helped to find four missing people.
The details of the missing Irishmen are as follows:
- Trevor Deely was 22 when he disappeared in December 2000, last seen on Baggot Street in Dublin.
- Gerard Taylor was 55 when he disappeared in May 2019, last seen in Sandyford, Dublin.
- Barry Coughlan was 23 when he disappeared in May 2004, last seen in Crosshaven, Co Cork.
- Mark Smyth was 33 when he disappeared in May 2018, last seen in Ardee, Co. Louth.
Deliveroo has also pledged €10,000 and will enable customers to donate to the charity through their app .
Dermot Browne of the National Missing Persons helpline said that they are hopeful the campaign will lead to a "positive outcome" for the families of missing people.
He said: “Christmas is a special time when families come together to celebrate the holiday and renew their special bond.
"However, amidst all of the glitter, flashing lights and present giving, families of the missing will be seeing that empty chair at the Christmas table and remembering a time when their loved one was sat there.
“We hope this partnership with Deliveroo and our Bring Them Home campaign will raise awareness of those who are missing and help reunite families. We urge everyone in Cork and Dublin to keep an eye out for passing Deliveroo riders.
"We are always hopeful that this leads to a positive outcome for the families of missing persons."
Mark Deely whose brother Trevor vanished without a trace 19 years ago recently spoke of his heartache as the anniversary of Trevor’s disappearance approaches next Sunday.
Mark told the Irish Mirror: “It doesn’t get any easier, you are still looking for the same answers.
“We’ve heard loads of stories but we still don’t know what happened, how it happened, where he is...
“You wait, and still at the back of your mind there is some hope that he could still walk in the door some day.”
If anyone has any information on any of the appeals featured in the Bring Them Home campaign, they should contact the National Missing Persons Helpline on 1890 442 552.
Alternatively they can leave a message on our Bring Them Home Line 1800 911 999 – this is a confidential service and you may remain anonymous if you wish.
Email the National Missing Persons Helpline at info@missingpersons.ie or call the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666 111.
