Fans present at The Kia Oval to drink in the iconic finale to the men’s Ashes that saw Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali retire from Test cricket, helped in raising £25,921 for charity across five days via donations from reusable cup refunds.
Supporters were able to donate money by placing their cups in the designated receptacles, located around the concourse of the ground, at the end of each day as all drinks sold in reusable cups – as provided by Stack-Cup – at The Kia Oval include a refundable £1 deposit.
This policy runs throughout the season on all domestic and international matchdays. Cups placed in the big yellow charity bins are counted at the end of each match and the refundable deposits are donated to charity.
The funds raised during the fifth and final Ashes Test were donated to cricket charities such as Surrey Cricket Foundation and Chance to Shine as well as local organisations like the Lambeth Food Bank Trust. Alzheimer’s Society, in whose support the day three of the Test was played, was also a beneficiary.
Since 2015, in keeping with the Club’s approach towards sustainability, every drink bought at The Kia Oval is served in reusable glassware – including pint glasses, carafes, and cups – as opposed to serving drinks in single-use plastic cups, which have a far greater negative environmental impact.
Chris Coleman, Director of Cricket Participation at Surrey Cricket Foundation, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to all the fans who donated to Surrey Cricket Foundation as well as the other charities.
“Donating refunds from reusable cups is a really simple and sustainable way for fans to make an important difference, and I’d like to offer a massive thank you to everyone for making the effort.
“It was an amazing five days of Test cricket at The Kia Oval, and I’m glad that we’ve been able to help out beyond the boundary as well.”
