Town fans can help the environment and local businesses ahead of Town's home tie with Hull City.
As part of the Sustainable Stadium Campaign, the Huddersfield Town Supporters’ Association (HTSA) has teamed up with Pledgeball, an organisation that encourages football fans “to make small, easy changes to their lifestyle to collectively have a big impact on the planet.”
Pledgeball Fixture vs. Hull City
On 16th October, Town face Hull City on the pitch. Off the pitch, Town fans have an opportunity to take on Hull fans in a ‘pledge-off’, with both sides aiming to save the most carbon emissions. At the end of the week, Town will enter the Pledgeball League, which currently includes fanbases from 24 other clubs.
How Can Fans Get Involved?
All fans have to do is go to the Pledgeball website and pick one or more pledges for the Hull game (and hopefully follow them through). We’ve selected six pledges below as examples to give fans an idea of what they can do. Each pledge has a ‘local business’ theme, with recommendations for shops and restaurants that can help fans achieve their goals.
Ahead of the fixture, Katie Cross, founder of Pledgeball, said: “I’m delighted to be working with HTSA because they've been a valuable supporter of Pledgeball from the very beginning. I hope to build on their incredible work, including the Sustainable Stadium Campaign.”
A HTSA spokesperson stated: “Over the past couple of years, fans and fans’ groups across the country have made a commitment to ensure that football becomes more environmentally sustainable. There are many things that fans can do to make a difference: engaging with Pledgeball is one of them. It’s a great platform, with a competitive twist, that helps raise awareness and promote long-term changes that benefit the environment. We’re happy to be working with them and looking forward to announcing further joint initiatives in the coming months.”
Pledge Ideas and How to Achieve Them
1. Go vegan for two days a week
This might seem like a relatively easy one, but it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, there are some wonderful cafes and restaurants in Huddersfield these days which offer a wide selection of vegan food.
Recommendations: If you’re in town before or after Saturday’s game, it’s worth a trip to Döner Summer, a “vegan junk food” eatery that’s just moved into the Parish’s old premises on Kirkgate. It also has a great bar, Palm Springs, that serves beer, ales, cocktails, and spirits.
2. Reduce meat consumption by 50 percent
This is definitely achievable with a bit of forethought. And if every season ticket holder made this pledge, it would be the equivalent of taking over 2,900 cars off the road.
Recommendations: Arcade Coffee and Food is located on the ground floor of the Byram Arcade. It serves reasonably priced vegetarian and vegan dishes, including breakfast, all day brunch, and a selection of seasonal light lunches. You could also try The Peppercorn, a highly rated vegetarian friendly café on Trinity Street.
3. Buy groceries from in-country suppliers
Start with a few items that you know are produced in the UK and see how it goes. Huddersfield is blessed with excellent green grocers and butchers, so it shouldn’t require too much effort.
Recommendations: Andrews Greengrocers are a local family-run business based in Holmfirth, who specialise in providing local produce. The stadium caterers have also made a big effort to provide local produce, from Magic Rock to Andrew Jones pies.
4. Buy seasonal, locally produced food
Don’t give up on avocado toast just yet, but swapping more exotic food for local goods can make a big difference. Again, if every season ticket holder made this pledge, it would be the equivalent of taking over 5,000 cars off the road.
Recommendations: Andrews Greengrocers or any other will cover you for this pledge. There’s also Kwas, nestled under the arches on Viaduct Street, which sells hand-packed organic veg boxes alongside a broad selection of UK wines and craft beers.
5. Take bottles and jars to shops for refills of dry goods, fruit, veg, cleaning products, etc
Plastic pollution is a real problem. Recently, however, a number of businesses have begun specialising in “minimal waste” products, allowing customers to refill their own bottles, jars, and Tupperware.
Recommendations: Zero Yorkshire is an independent shop in Slaithwaite that offers locally sourced, organic, and plastic free products and refills, including rice, cereals, deodorant, soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, clothing, and cleaning fluids. Kwas also offer anti-bacterial handwash and bodywash refills.
6. Use an eco-cup (travel mug) for hot drinks on the go
Cheap, easy, and a money saver in the long run.
Recommendations: You can buy eco cups all over the place.
How Else Can Fans Help?
You can help the Sustainable Stadium Campaign in two main ways.
First, by sharing our articles and social media posts. And if you feel strongly, let the club know that you support the campaign and are glad they do, too.
Second, if you want to become more actively involved, email contact[at]htsa-web.com, and we'll invite you to participate in our Sustainable Stadium Campaign Working Group.
And remember, we’re running a new membership scheme: you can join HTSA for just £1, and if you work in the NHS, emergency services, a school or the armed forces, membership is free! Existing members can also extend their membership for free.
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