Swansea City U18s help clean up the beach ahead of Green Football Weekend

Swansea City Under-18s' players and coaches helped clean up the Swansea Bay beach ahead of Green Football Weekend.

The beach clean follows on from a similar initiative a year ago, when the Swans’ scholars headed to Castle Square and the Swansea Marina with bin bags and litter pickers to do their bit for the community.

Green Football Week is an opportunity for EFL and Premier League football teams and their supporters to take note of their carbon footprint and think of ways they can reduce emissions in their routines.

The Jack Army can play their part by joining Planet League, which is being supported by Swansea City AFC Foundation.

This year and last, the Swansea City academy has taken the initiative one step further by not only considering their own impact on the environment, but also heading into our city and doing their bit to help keep the beach and the wider Swansea area beautiful for locals and tourists.

And the academy’s head of player care, Toby Rossiter, feels getting out in the community is an important part of their development as players and people.

“It’s important for the boys to get into the city and have a presence,” he said.

“The club is a massive part of the community, and for the boys to be contributing to keeping the city tidy is really important. It also helps them gain an understanding of what it means for them to give back to the area they represent.

“They need to be more than just footballers, whether they stay and progress with us, or whether they go elsewhere, we want to make sure that they’re well-rounded young men.

“The environment is important as well, especially where we live on the beach and near the sea. It’s important to look after the things that make this city and community so special.”