‘Show The Love’ is the flagship campaign from The Climate Coalition, more than 130 leading organisations — including the National Trust, WWF and RSPB — with a combined membership of more than 15 million people. It is the largest group of people ever to come together to show they care about climate change.
The campaign’s message is simple - to Show The Love for the things we love that are affected by climate change, and to encourage everyone to ‘notice the change’ to their local environment.
Environmental sustainability is key to Manchester City Football Club and the Club is proud to make an ongoing effort to positively impact our local environment. This was evident during the development of City Football Academy.
The project to build Manchester City’s performance training and youth development facility began in 2012 when the Club spent 12 months remediating an 80-acre site, turning a vast tract of land, polluted by years of heavy industrial use into clean terrain.
Ground works were extensive but slowly, the landscape changed as City Football Academy emerged from the previous derelict Clayton Aniline works.
City Football Academy has reached the highest possible environmental standards – the gold standard under L.E.E.D. guidelines. Low carbon, low water and low waste measures were employed to minimise impact on the environment and encourage local bio diversity.
Through the creation of extensive wildlife corridors, once toxic land is now home to various types of moths, butterflies and bats, whilst 2000 mature trees and 5km of hedgerow provide cover and nesting places for various birds, including kestrels.
Environmental sustainability has remained at the forefront of planning at City Football Academy, the site uses a sustainable water source which has led to an 83% reduction in mains-sourced water and recycling as well as reuse means that zero waste is sent to landfill.
This is the second year ‘Show The Love’ has been supported by Manchester City.
Dom Goggins, who leads the coalition’s work within Sport, said: “I have worked on climate change issues all over the world and the work that Manchester City are doing at the City
Football Academy has transformed East Manchester. The fact that the development has bought new life and biodiversity to the community - is hugely impressive. I hope City’s work can inspire fans and other clubs to take these issues seriously.”
Pete Bradshaw, Manchester City’s director of infrastructure and estates, said: “At Manchester City we have worked hard to ensure sustainable development through a series of initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, energy and the creation of green spaces within which wildlife can flourish.
You can find out more about the ‘Show The Love’ campaign, by clicking here.
