This year the Waste and Recycling Team decided to introduce three additional British Heart Foundation donation banks to those currently located on campus. It was thought donations would increase from last year. Donation banks were available at Parkwood Study Hub, Stock Court, Marlowe/Jarman, Keynes College, Tyler Court, Darwin Houses and Woolfe (the additional sites were Keynes, Stock Court and Marlowe/Jarman).
In June 2015, 2.272 tonnes of items were donated to the British Heart Foundation, in June 2016, 5.104 tonnes of items were donated, more than double last year’s figure! Incredibly the amount donated between the 13th and 18th of June during the ‘clear out’ period was 3.728 tonnes alone. This means that in one week we donated more than the whole of June in the previous year!
This year also saw the introduction of unused food donations, working together with the charity FareShare. Two dates were planned for students to drop off their unused food during the last week of term (14th and 17th of June) students were asked to donate food such as tinned goods, pasta, rice, sauces, cereal, tea, coffee etc. The total weight of food donated over the two days equalled 316.48 kilos. The donations are sorted at the FareShare Ashford warehouse and food boxes created for those in need. A box will feed a family of four for five days. The donations from the university created 16 boxes, enough to feed 64 people for 5 days! We are very pleased with the success and will be looking to run the scheme at the end of each term.
Emma Dimond Facilities Management Coordinator (Recycling & Waste)