Bridgy 81
Active member
Well done to you Andy and your colleagues. What you do is a great effort.To continue from the C&C Redevelopment thread;
I think that i should point out that Cans4City is just one of many ECFC Supporters Groups involved in the project to supply items for the C&F Redevelopment. Groups like EDG, EMG, NDG, GWG, Grecian Goal etc] are also getting involved in valuable and very important stage in the forward momentum of ECFC both on & off the pitch.
FYI; When Cans was restarted in 2013, we aimed at one project a year that fell within our limited budget as we were only collecting small amounts and getting, what at the time, was a reasonable return financially.
However since we've been in 'cahoots' with ECC, our collection weights have increased significantly and so has our financial return, to the point where once we though £300 to spend in a year was an achievement, now we're getting almost twice that from a single bi-monthly collection!
To be Open & Honest with information about where the monies comes from and goes, lets me explain a sort of 'can' line.
There are several collecting points around Exeter, including SJP, Alphington & Co-op OTR, plus Grecians in Tiverton & Crediton who collect for us plus, the numerous individuals who drop their cans off direct to SJP. These cans are then sorted, crushed, bagged and stored under the stairs up to the BB at Stadium Way. Then every couple of months, or when storage starts to become a bit tight, the bags are emptied into Dumpy bags and ready for ECC to collect. To make it cost effective, we aim for a minimum of 11/12 dumpy bags, or roughly 120 bin liners full per load.
ECC then take the bags to their facility at Marsh Barton and the lorry goes straight onto the weigh bridge, the weigh bridge ticket is then forwarded to ECFC Accounts, who invoice ECC for the amount at the price for that month, currently £1,100 per ton and ECFC are normally paid within 3 working days.
I then get informed by Accounts as to how much is in the Cans account and together with a small, cross section, group of ECFC Supporters, we decide where and when to either purchase specific items or make donations to ECFC or ECFC Community related projects.
Over the years among the items we have purchased or made to donations to are as follows;
Memorial Bench for Memorial Garden, this took almost 18 months worth of cans collection to fund!
A 'Returning Soldier' silhouette for the Memorial Garden. The 2nd one on the right was kindly donated by Kier Construction after they had finished building the students block.
A fridge for the home dressing room at SJP.
A new more powerful pressure washer for SJP.
Purchase of ‘Crossmaxx 6 digit timer’ for the C&F.
Assistance with the purchase of tables for Hospitality at SJP.
Donations towards; The Defibrillator for C&F; The Refurbishment of the grave of Arthur Chadwick; A Mental Health awareness programme for Academy; Trust 'Volunteers’ lunch; ECFC Charitable Trust Community Food Programme; Community Trust Community housing programme; ECFC Ladies Team; Andy's Man club; Ukraine DEC appeal.
We are also funding the Memorial Plaques for some ECFC stalwarts, an Information Board for the Memorial Garden plus the purchase of plants & shrubs to replace those damaged when the Bore Hole was sunk!
Together with other ECFC Supporter Groups we are committing monies towards the 'Kit it out' appeal, currently we have pledged to purchase two items, but will be looknig towards increasing that over the up coming months.
Finally, we now have a Cans4City flag which you can see at each home game towards the front of the BB at the Stadium Way turnstile end.
I hope this gives a bit of insight into, not only what happens to the cans you drop off but, where the monies these cans generate is spent.
We are always on the lookout for areas around ECFC and the ECFC wider Community to support so if you have an idea of such a project then please let me/us know.
I hope you don’t mind me mentioning on here that Senior Reds are another of the supporters groups who purchase items and contribute towards club projects.
We don’t generate anywhere near as much income as Cans4City because I suppose we’re primarily a social group but what funds we do have we, like you, donate to the club in various ways.
We’ve participated in some (but by no means all) of the list you mention above and others that we do individually e.g. sponsoring an under 16s player each season.
We’ve recently provided funds for 2 TVs for the training ground redevelopment i.e. one for the academy and one to assist with analysis.
Keep up the good work.