A local Scouts recycling initiative is proving that young people can make a big environmental impact, as the 1st London Colney Scouts show with their award‑winning efforts.
After collecting and recycling an incredible 76,000 aluminium cans in just one year, the scout group based in North London has been awarded a national Green Can Award to recognise their outstanding commitment to recycling and sustainability.
Turning Recycling into Community Impact
Made up of 237 Scouts aged 4 to 18, the 1st London Colney Scouting Group has shown that small everyday actions, like recycling your empty drink cans, can lead to big environmental and social benefits.
By partnering with local recycling company Pearce Recycling, the Scouts collected and recycled aluminium cans from households, community spaces and local events across North London. Their hard work didn’t just help save valuable materials from going to waste; it also raised over £3,500, which has been reinvested directly back into the Scout Group.
Those funds have supported a range of activities and community projects, including an exciting day trip to Whipsnade Zoo, helping to create unforgettable experiences for young people while keeping sustainability at the heart of everything they do.
Spreading the Recycling Message Locally
The Scouts have also worked hard to raise awareness about recycling throughout their local community. This includes building strong relationships with nearby businesses and setting up can drop‑off points in shops, cafés and social clubs. They’ve also hosted collection stations at local events to make recycling easy and accessible for everyone.
To further develop connections and engage with residents to spread their message, the Scouts also regularly share posters, social media content and short presentations with schools, community centres and village groups. They have even gone so far as to organise informal “recycling chats” at events, helping residents understand why recycling aluminium is so important and how easy it is to do so.
Learning About Sustainability from the Inside Out
Recycling and sustainability are at the heart of the Scout group’s activities as these topics are built into their weekly programme, with sessions exploring topics such as:
- The life cycle of materials
- Carbon footprints and climate impact
- Challenges faced by UK recycling infrastructure
- Global issues surrounding waste
This hands‑on approach helps young people understand how their actions connect to the wider world and why every can really does count!
A Reward for an Incredible Achievement
As well as receiving their Green Can Award, the Scouts will soon take part in a hands‑on workshop led by social enterprise Casting Innovations.
During the session, the Scouts will learn about the infinite recyclability of aluminium and witness the metal’s melting process firsthand. Each Scout will even create their own custom keyring made from recycled aluminium – a lasting reminder of their positive impact.
Celebrating the Local Scouts Recycling Initiative
Ian Burnett, Group Lead Volunteer at 1st London Colney Scouting Group, said: “We’re so proud of this award and the hard work our Troop has put in to achieve it. They’ve demonstrated a real passion for looking after the world around them and have made a mark within our local community, encouraging residents to take recycling seriously and collecting an impressive number of cans along the way! A big thank you to Every Can Counts for recognising their efforts as we know it means a lot to all the Scouts involved.”
Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager at Every Can Counts, added: “The can-do attitude of the 1st London Colney Scouts is an inspiration, and the Troop is thoroughly deserving of their Green Can Award.
“Aside from their standout collection numbers, they’ve made a real difference within their local community, and we’re really impressed with the behavioural changes they’ve contributed to, with lots of residents now putting aside their aluminium cans or event setting up their own recycling stations within the home.
“We can’t wait to see what the Scouts do next and hope that they inspire other communities across the UK to take action – because every can, and every effort, counts.”
Learn more
The Green Can Awards is a national recycling award designed to recognise the businesses, organisations and people that are going above and beyond when it comes to drink can recycling. Any business, organisation or individual (based in the UK or Ireland) whose activities have promoted can recycling and/or demonstrably increased recycling rates can apply.
Whether it’s setting up new recycling points, running workplace awareness events, recruiting a recycling champion or collecting cans for a charitable cause – however you’ve made your cans count, we want to hear about it!
If you think you’ve got what it takes to be our next winner, click here to apply.
