Recycling scheme raises £25k for football club

All the money raised from the recycled cans goes back into the football club and its community projects

A scheme which encourages football supporters to recycle aluminium cans is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

The Cans4City scheme is run in partnership by Exeter City FC and Exeter City Council with proceeds used to support the club and it's community projects.

The volunteer-led initiative has raised more than £25,000 since 2019 and helped recycle more than two million cans - over 29 tonnes (29,000kg) - which if laid end-to-end at the St James Park pitch, would go around it more than 16 times.

Matt Hulland, Exeter City Council's resource recovery manager, said the scheme is "unique" and "a great way of showing how you can turn waste back into funds that can support the community".

The Cans4City scheme has helped recycle more than two million cans since 2019

Mr Hulland said: "All the money raised goes to the club to support lots of its vital projects, purchases and charitable causes."

Proceeds have been used to fund holiday clubs and matchday packages for underprivileged children.

The scheme has also helped pay for Christmas toys for children at Royal Devon and & Exeter Hospital as well as benches in fan zones, which have been made out of the recycled plastic from old seats.

Other purchases have included planting trees in the club's memorial garden and equipment for club staff including line painters and pressure washers.

Mr Hulland said "supporters can drop cans off any day of the week" in one of it's holding areas located around the ground and wider city.

He explained the cans are condensed into large aluminium blocks at a council facility before being recycled back into new cans.

The initiative has been backed by supporters and the wider community.

"It has lots of different reach," said Mr Hulland.

"Businesses, pubs, local community groups, even a beach cleaning organisation in Cornwall.

"The cans have not been incinerated or gone to landfill or damaging the environment. They've been collected from the community and it all goes back to the community."