PledgeBall

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So one of the first companies the FSA kindly introduced us to was Pledgeball.

Who Are Pledgeball?

For those who don't know, Pledgeball is an incredible charity that rallies football fans to tackle the climate crisis. They use the power of sport to show how small, collective lifestyle changes by fans—like switching to public transit, eating less meat, or turning down the thermostat—can have a massive impact when scaled across thousands of match-day supporters.

Through this introduction, we had the absolute privilege of meeting Katie Cross, the mastermind who runs the business.

Can we just take a minute to talk about Katie? Corinne here, and I am officially declaring that I dream of having her level of calm composure and effortlessly magnetic influence when presenting. While I tend to communicate with the high-energy hand gestures of a human windmill and talk at 110 miles per hour, Katie commands a room with pure, structured grace. Absolute goals!

Katie and her team were brilliant enough to invite us to their major Project Conference: "Solving the Travel Problem' 

Road Trip to the Sustainability Giants of Global Football

The event was hosted by the wonderful Forest Green Rovers Football Club. If you haven't looked into what FGR do, stop reading this right now, open a new tab, and prepare to have your mind blown.

They aren't just a football club; they are certified sustainability giants recognised worldwide. They are the world's first vegan, carbon-neutral football club. They have solar panels, a solar-powered robotic lawnmower, an organic pitch fed by recycled rainwater, and kits made from recycled coffee grounds and bamboo. Honestly, it’s ridiculously impressive.

Against all odds of scheduling conflicts, Corinne managed to puzzle-piece this into her calendar and made the trip down.

Imposter Syndrome, Scientists, and Solving the "Away Day" Conundrum

We’re not going to lie: as Corinne walked up to the venue, the imposter syndrome hit hard. This was the very first in-person event representing Football TravelHER out in the wild. Up until this point, we were just a dream being built on evenings and weekends around our day jobs and virtual meetings. Walking into a room full of industry veterans felt like showing up to a high-stakes exam you forgot to study for.

But those nerves vanished the second she stepped inside.

Everyone was unbelievably welcoming. The room was a fascinating mix of club representatives, football executives, and actual scientists and researchers deeply embedded in the sustainability sector.

We listened to some genuinely eye-opening research findings. Did you know that between 61% and 85% of match-day emissions come directly from fan travel? It is consistently ranked as one of the top priorities for fans, making sustainable transport a massive opportunity for the game rather than just a hurdle.

The afternoon shifted into interactive workshops where we rolled up our sleeves to brainstorm immediate, fan-led solutions to this exact travel problem.

Doing Our Part: Helping Fans Find a Greener Away Day

Being in a room packed with so many brilliant minds pushing for the exact same goal was the ultimate validation for us.

At Football TravelHER, we are already hard at work weaving these exact data findings and strategies into our official launch later this year. Because we are actively planning travel and transport for matches, we want to do our part to tackle that massive 61-85% emission statistic.

Our goal is to assist by providing clear, helpful stats and communication to fans, making sustainable travel the most obvious and stress-free choice. We want to help supporters ditch the solo car journeys and easily find more eco-friendly alternatives, like booking onto group coaches or organising seamless train routes. By focusing on the social, collective side of the journey, we can make the planet-friendly choice the most fun choice, too.

A massive thank you to Pledgeball, Katie, and Forest Green Rovers for having us. The energy was brilliant, the appetite for change is absolutely there, and we are incredibly proud to be part of the journey! 🌲⚽️🌱