The initiative was set up by Ryan Hulance, a passionate 12-year-old from Solihull, who was inspired to help those suffering from food insecurity after seeing his parents donate meals to a struggling family. With the support of his family, Ryan flattens, and sorts donated aluminium drink cans, which are then sold as scrap metal to raise funds for food banks.
Since the organisation was founded in 2020, Ryan and his family have processed over one million cans, raising over £6,000 for food banks in their local area. Prior to the purchasing of the new baler, Ryan’s dad, John, was manually flattening the recycled cans to be sold with his car. The new baler machine purchased with the Birmingham Airport grant will speed up processing, meaning the initiative will be able to accept more can donations and exceed established fundraising records.
Commenting on the grant, Ryan’s dad John Hulance said: “This grant will make a world of difference to CIC; saving hours of work and allowing us to focus on supporting our communities further.”
The funding awarded forms part of the Birmingham Airport Community Trust Fund which awards grants of up to £5,000 to community groups in areas most affected by the Airport’s operations. Grants are directly funded by charges made to airlines which breach night noise regulations. Last year, the Trust awarded over £175,000 in monetary grants to local causes near Birmingham Airport.
Tom Denton, Head of Sustainability at Birmingham Airport said: “The trustees decided to award We Can with this monetary grant as the initiative provides local residents with an accessible and sustainable method of making a difference through the recycling of metal cans. We’re pleased that this donation ensures we can help a local initiative and were so impressed with Ryan’s commitment and drive that makes such a positive impact in our region.”
For more information on the Birmingham Airport Community Trust Fund including eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit the Birmingham Airport website.