The fans of VfL Bochum made an impression last season, and not just because of their unconditional support. Their social commitment was also exemplary.

Last season, VfL Bochum supporters donated a total of 74,608 euros to a good cause by handing in their cup deposits at collection points rather than in the stands at home matches. A total of 37,304 cups were donated. That’s more than 2,000 cups per match – including the relegation match against Fortuna Düsseldorf.

On each match day, a different charitable organization received the cup deposit donation. In total, 21 organizations benefited from a donation over the course of the season last season. The club announced this on its website.

The special thing about this is that the organizations not only collected the donated cups themselves using deposit garbage cans before kick-off, at half-time and after the end of the match, but were also able to provide information about their work. “We would like to say a big thank you to all VfL fans who have so generously supported the cup deposit donation. This gives us the opportunity as a Bochum community to support local and partner organizations at a low-threshold level,” said Matthias Mühlen, Head of Sustainability/CSR at VfL. The fundraising campaign was held for the second time last season. Before that, there was a disposable cup system in the Bochum stadium.

The Bochum-Donetsk Association was also one of the beneficiaries. “VfL’s cup deposit donation offers two major advantages for us,” said Monika Grawe from the Bochum-Donezk e.V. association, giving an insight into the campaign. “We have the opportunity to provide information about our work in a very special setting and receive important financial support at the same time.”

The campaign will also be continued in the coming season. Then again in the first Bundesliga, to which VfL Bochum will continue to belong after the relegation drama against Fortuna Düsseldorf