Changemakers: Boot Recycling Project

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For a team of Changemakers in Newcastle, their social action project did something to bring joy to people all over their community. The group boosted Newcastle United Foundation’s boot room initiative, to give old football boots to those who need them the most. 

The initiative, which has been running for the past three years across the North East, has designated boot buckets in different grassroots football clubs and encourages people to drop off and donate their old boots that they don’t use anymore. 

They said, “The aim of this is to then clean up the boots and redistribute them to participants who need them most, and to make it easier for them to access football sessions by owning a pair of boots.”

So the team got to work sorting, cleaning, and pairing up football boots from these bins and making sure they could be redistributed. For the team, it felt good to help bring football to the masses, and it was about more than just playing a game.

“It removes a cost barrier to those who may not be able to afford a new pair of boots, as well as introduces new players into the sport who may not want to initially spend the money before actually playing.”

Amazing! Yet another reason why it’s called ‘the beautiful game’. 

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHERE YOU ARE?

Want to carry out some social action in your community but aren’t sure where to start? Take a look at a Changemaker group near you...

And if you’ve already taken part in a social action project that you’re proud of, let us know! Tell us all about it here.