Estates news

Aimed at staff across the University, Green15 aims to promote environmental initiatives across campus while asking staff to take simple actions to green their workplace. The final theme for this year is Biodiversity; encouraging staff, students and visitors to think about the flora and fauna, and to make positive steps to reduce their impact on these species and promote the ways the University protects the resident species.

A lovely way to appreciate the campus and enjoy the warmer weather is to walk the EcoTrail . This environmental treasure-hunt takes you all around the Canterbury Campus. Hidden around the campus are 33 ‘eco-points’ revealing the area’s sustainability secrets, and your mission is to find them all.

At each point you will find a post with a fact card and marker punch.

Download and print your EcoTrail card from https://www.kent.ac.uk/creativecampus/projects/environmental/ecotrail/ alternatively trail cards can be collected from estates reception. Each box should be punched and the answer to the question on the card completed.

There are 50 Divine chocolate bars waiting at the Estates reception for anyone who completes the Eco trail (Note: points 3 and 11 are currently unavailable due to ongoing construction works). The Green15 Team will be holding their celebration event on 9 June, if you have got involved this year, remember to RSVP your representatives to green15@kent.ac.uk.

The University has launched a free app service to help give round-the-clock safety reassurance to staff and students.

SafeZone is a simple-to-use application that’s free to download. It’s designed to help students and staff summon security or safety assistance via their mobile phones.

During an initial launch phase from 4 April, students and staff in Canterbury and Medway can volunteer to sign-up and access three main features using SafeZone – emergency, first aid and enquiries.

Emergency and first aid options will bring security or first aid officers to the location of the call, while the enquiries button connects directly to the University switchboard during the day and Campus Security out-of-hours.

The app currently works within designated zones covering the Canterbury and Medway campuses (including Historic Dockyard, Chatham) as well as Liberty Quays student accommodation in Gillingham.

From September, the app will also help the University send targeted notification messages to staff and students in the event of an on-campus incident and help locate and mobilise first aid trained staff and fire marshals.

Further developments include enhanced services to support lone-working, foreign travel, bus tracking and coverage for Tonbridge and our European centres in Athens, Brussels, Paris and Rome.

The SafeZone app is part of a suite of security software leased by the University from CriticalArc, a global technology company with headquarters in Australia and offices in the UK, Bahrain and the US.

Find out more at an information event 

Speak to staff and find out more about SafeZone at one of the following ‘pop-up’ events:

• Monday 4 April in Colyer Fergusson, Canterbury campus, from 12.00-14.00
• Tuesday 5 April in Keynes Atrium, Canterbury campus, from 12.00-14.00
• Wednesday 6 April in Rutherford Foyer, Canterbury campus, from 12.00-14.00
• Thursday 7 April outside Jarman, Canterbury campus, from 12.00-14.00
• Friday 8 April in Templeman Library, Canterbury campus, from 12.00-14.00
• Tuesday 10 May in Rochester Building, Medway campus, 12.00-14.00

Emma Dimond, FM Co-ordinator (Recycling and Waste) has created a blog to offer handy hints, tips, advice and event news and updates on what’s happening in the world of waste and recycling. In her first blog Emma talks about helping the Enactus Society create a small shelter from plastic bottles.  You can follow Emma’s blog online and @unikentrecycle  on Twitter.