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UEFA Foundation gives second life to EURO materials

The UEFA Foundation for Children has been busy distributing jerseys, signs and other surplus equipment from UEFA EURO 2016 to ensure a positive legacy.

Equipment from UEFA EURO 2016 being used at a refugee camp in Jordan
Equipment from UEFA EURO 2016 being used at a refugee camp in Jordan ©UEFA.com

Have you ever wondered what happened to the many tonnes of equipment and materials, purpose-made for UEFA EURO 2016, which were left behind?

"We wanted to help ensure a positive legacy for EURO 2016," explains UEFA Foundation for Children Secretary Pascal Torres. "We knew that so many groups, organisations and charities could benefit hugely from these materials, much of which has only been used for a few days or weeks, and that's where the idea for 'Second Life' came from, and EURO was the perfect time to kick off the project for the very first time."

To date, 20 tonnes of materials have been collected, including training equipment, clothing, surplus office supplies and IT materials like laptops and printers, all of which are used to support sports and educational projects for children in 20 countries around the world.

A Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan has already been enclosed with EURO 2016-branded screens, enabling girls to play sport in privacy. Local schools will also receive the same treatment, as will projects in Germany, Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine and nine other European countries.

Torres said: "For us, the 'Second Life' project is a great way to achieve two important things at the same time – reducing waste and improving the lives of children, many of whom may struggle to access sports or education, by providing good quality equipment."

The UEFA Foundation for Children was set up in 2015 to use sport to support humanitarian projects linked to children's rights in areas such as health, education and integration. It is a completely independent entity of UEFA.

Find out more about The UEFA Foundation by visiting their website.

You can also follow The UEFA Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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