By Malcolm Nugent - CUOSC

Fans are being urged to ditch their cars and walk to the game this weekend as football goes green.

United are one of 80 clubs who have joined forces to launch the first Green Football Weekend.

The idea is to encourage supporters to carry out small actions that can make a difference to the environment and help combat climate change.

Blues fan and CUOSC member, Craig Milne, has volunteered to lead a ‘United Walk and Talk’ before the home game with Harrogate.

It is a chance to reduce CO2 emissions, meet new people and take some gentle exercise.

School teacher Craig, who is affiliated to mental health charity ‘Talk Hub’, will start the walk in the Cathedral grounds at 12 noon and stroll through Bitts and Rickerby Parks before finishing in the Fanzone around 1.15pm.

The walk will be leisurely and suitable for people of all ages. For more information contact slo@carlisleunited.co.uk 

As part of the initiative some fans may like to go vegetarian for a couple of days, turn down their thermostat or even take shorter showers.

They will be rewarded for their efforts if they sign up to be part of the Carlisle United team in the Planet League Green Football Cup. You can score green goals by registering at https://app.planetleague.co.uk/

The club is also working with their Community Sports Trust in schools to score goals as part of its community activities and move the Blues up the green league table.

In addition they plan to expand the Fanzone on Saturday to showcase a sustainability market with local green businesses involved.

If you are in the Fanzone don’t forget to watch out for the CUOSC kiosk where you have a chance to renew your membership, sign up or chat to our reps. We will also be in the concourse underneath the East Stand.

It costs £10 for an adult for one year and £5 for seniors and under-18s.

And please put in your diary our Foodbank Appeal on Saturday, February 18 before the home game with Colchester. Everything collected will be handed over to Carlisle Foodbank whose aim is to provide three days emergency food for people in the area in crisis.

On the pitch the rampaging Blues will be looking for their fifth successive win on Saturday. They will be hoping for another bumper crowd after their 5-1 thrashing of Barrow in midweek saw them climb into the automatic promotion places.

Brunton Park was bouncing – let’s make it happen again!