CAN-DO. COASTAL COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDRAISING

Introduction

I am Mat Smith and have set up an organisation called Can-Do that collects mostly aluminium drink cans and sells the cans to a metal merchant.

75% of the money made by selling the cans will go to the food bank to be used by Christchurch and to buy beds for children who do not have one.
25% of the money will go into a fund for young people to inspire, aspire, mentor and to sponsor events for youth organisations.

I have become part of the excellent Winonwaste team who meet at the Druit Hall once a month, had over 100 people who attended the event this month, many of the people who attended were very enthusiastic about Can-Do.

Background

Over the last 3 years I have been out collecting large amounts of rubbish when walking the dog and out and about. For many reasons including to take my mind of work and I didn't want to keep walking past the same if not more rubbish, from the beach, Bailey Gardens the bottom of St Catherine's hill and many other areas including Bransgore where I collected 18 bin bags of rubbish in one month last February.

Being commercially minded I soon realised there could be money to be made from the large amount of cans I was collecting and investigated.

I came across the organisation called every can counts sponsored by the can industry they are providing Can-Do with collecting boxes and bags to place with businesses and organisations for them to collect their empty cans, I have been collecting the full bags from them.

Working with the Christchurch foodbank, Winonwaste, the Conservative club, Sobo beach bar and the masonic lodge other interested businesses, organisations and people, Can-Do is building up lots of interest from businesses, people and organisations who want to be involved.

The main need that I have is to have to have some assessable land for a skip or two that will be filled with cans that will be provided by the metal merchants for free and collected by them when full. The area where the skips will be located needs to be away from the public otherwise they will become full of other rubbish.

From talking to the team at every can counts who are sponsored by the drink can manufacturers and looking at their website, there other groups who have been raising money for charity or local projects collecting and selling cans

Exeter City Football Club (ECFC) and Exeter City Council’s innovative recycling scheme, Cans4City, has raised more than 15,000 pounds

A group in Hampshire have also raised more than 15,000 for the Air Ambulance.

A group in Neasden raised more than 75,000 for the Neasden Temple.

Benefits of setting up Can-Do

1. To raise money for worthy causes

2. For the community to see the value in recycling

3. Bringing the Christchurch community together with organisations, businesses and households working together to raise funds for the food bank and for young people projects by giving their empty cans we are not asking for money.

4. Talking to different businesses they have mentioned that their bins don't get emptied enough, so taking their cans will help free up space and they are happy to know that their waste will make a positive difference.

5. One last positive aspect I have noticed from talking to people is that some people are looking to contribute and be involved in a positive community project helping their own mental health and this a community project anyone can get involved with and I will be happy to provide regular updates on how we are progressing.

Thank you for giving me this time to explain what we are trying to achieve.