Football stars back council’s ‘Be the BIG Difference’ recycling campaign

First‑team players from Crewe Alexandra FC and youth academy players from Macclesfield FC have teamed up with Cheshire East Council to champion better recycling habits as part of the authority’s ‘Be the BIG Difference’ campaign.

The players have taken part in a series of short, fun videos that use football challenges to show how residents can recycle right at home and cut down on waste.

Filmed at Crewe’s training grounds next to Reaseheath College, in Nantwich, and at Macclesfield’s Leasing.com Stadium, the videos mix football skills and competitive spirit with clear messages about putting the right waste in the right bin.

The videos aim to raise awareness of how small actions – like rinsing items, knowing what can and can’t be recycled, and recognising when items shouldn’t be going in any hosuehold bin – can make a big difference to the quality of recycling collected across the borough.

Councillor David Jefferay, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said:

“We’re really grateful to have the support of both clubs for our campaign, and their energy has really helped to bring these important messages to life in a way that’s memorable and reaches people of all ages.

“By putting the right things in the right bin, keeping problem items out of household waste – like batteries and electricals – and ensuring items that can be recyled don’t go to waste, residents can help us increase recycling rates and help make Cheshire East cleaner and greener.”

The football videos will be released across Cheshire East Council’s social media channels over the coming weeks.

James Beckett, Crewe Alexandra’s head of commercial, said:

“We’re proud to support the ‘Be the BIG Difference’ campaign and use the influence of our players to promote positive habits in the community.

“If we can help make recycling simple, engaging and part of everyday thinking for supporters of all ages, then that’s a real win for everyone.”

Bob Trafford, sponsorships director at Macclesfield FC, said:

“Everyone at Macclesfield FC jumped at the chance to be involved in the ‘Be the BIG Difference campaign’.

“Not only does this represent important community engagement, but it also helps to create a real difference in terms of maximising the effectiveness of recycling quality across the borough.

“We hope that the messages contained within the campaign will resonate with everyone across our local area, and we will see a positive impact from their implementation.” 

The council’s ‘Be the BIG Difference’ campaign aims to support residents to take simple steps that boost recycling and cut down on waste. 

The campaign will also support residents ahead of changes to waste and recycling services coming this autumn, including the introduction of weekly food waste collections and a move to three-weekly black bin collections.