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The Cotswold Reusable Cup Scheme

The Cotswold Cup CIC By The Cotswold Cup CIC

Our ambition is to be the first reusable deposit cup scheme covering the North Cotswolds dedicated to reducing disposable waste at point of sale.

Bourton-on-the-Water Delivery stage

75
backers
£9,333
raised
funded icon
This project was funded on 05 Jul 2021!

The Cotswolds AONB exceeds 38 million visitors annually. Bourton on the Water is a major tourist centre, with around 10,000 visitors a day at peak. Tourism stimulates local economies, but the intense concentration of people also has its environmental drawbacks. Takeaway drinks & food containers create a disproportionate amount of single use waste - 7M single use paper cups a day in the UK with <1% being recycled- resulting in local authorities purchasing more bins and increased bin collections to 3x daily, sadly this has not solved the significant single waste problem but enabled it. How it Works: Customers will pay £2 deposit for the cup and when finished return the cup to participating cafes for their £2 back. Cups are then cleaned and ready for reuse. Based on the success of the Shrewsbury Cup and positive initial feedback from local cafes we are confident that consumers will embrace this positive change and help reduce the .5M cups deposited as litter each day.

What we'll deliver:

  • A reusable cup scheme to reduce single use waste
  • Cleaner villages and environment
  • A community initiative for residents to be proud of
  • Reduced waste collection and reduced disposal expenditure
  • Reduced carbon footprint and less pollution entering the system
  • Reduced dependence on 'buy, use, waste, buy...' disposable product cycle
  • Savings to local cafes, as cups will be reused rather than buying new
  • Empowering people to make an effortless sustainable choice at point of sale

Why it's a great idea:

The North Cotswolds has a massive waste problem related to tourism and single use disposable items. The Cotswold Cup will be piloted in a few villages in cafes and takeaway restaurants. The scheme will replace single use cups and encourage people to return drinks containers for their deposit; rewarding people for responsible consumption resulting in a cleaner community and local environment. Vendors will see a reduced cost by switching to the reusable cup scheme and gain respect from locals concerned about excessive litter in their community and countryside. It will be a symbol of positive community action and a source of community pride. It is hoped that the Local Authority will be able to reduce daily bin collections and related cost savings, as disposable containers are replaced over time with sustainable reusables. Locals will have a sense of pride as part of a new initiative to preserve their community and landscape.

Steps to get it done:

  • Present our initiative to the Zero Waste Declaration Taskforce
  • Secure funding and vendor commitment (in process)
  • Recruit in as many cafes/takeaways, and provide training
  • Promote cafes and scheme in local papers and social media
  • Reinvest in the project and expand to other Cotswold villages
  • Expand the cup scheme to include takeaway containers for food

We hope that this project will provide much needed education and conversation related to single use waste as well as being a case study for local loop sustainable reusable products. By participating people will be educating through action. Our social media and outreach through local papers etc will also help draw attention to the growing problem of single use cups and litter, and offer a sustainable solution.

Location Bourton-on-the-Water

About the space

Custom Location

Council

Cotswold District Council

How will the money be spent?Target (inc. fees)  £9,378

Cups - printed - £5,000
Lids - £2,000
Web Design - £600
Accountancy - £450
Liability Insurance -1yr kickstart - £239
Brand Creation - £200
Promotional posters and fliers - £100
Company registration - £62
Cup printing plate - £40
Web domain - £30

Costs Breakdown

This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.

Cups - printed
£5,000
Lids
£2,000
Web Design
£600
Accountancy
£450
Liability Insurance -1yr kickstart
£239
Brand Creation
£200
Promotional posters and fliers
£100
Company registration
£62
Cup printing plate
£40
Web domain
£30

Overfunding

This project is enabled for overfunding. If the project hits its funding goal before the end of the campaign period, any extra funds raised will be spent (in order of priority) on:

  • Expanding the scheme to a wider area
  • Advertising and educating
  • Website maintenance

Target (inc. fees)  £9,378

Our Volunteer List

We're currently looking for people to offer skills and time to develop our project! Check out the list of what we need below and then use the 'Volunteer' button to the right to get involved.

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