Keele students donate three tonnes of food to local foodbank
Generous Keele University students have donated three tonnes of food to Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank.
Newcastle’s local foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust’s network working to tackle food poverty and hunger in the UK. Foodbanks provide a minimum of three days’ emergency food and support to people in poverty or those in need.
The food that Keele students donated equates to an estimated 7,000 meals for members of the local community, and has trebled last year's total of around one tonne of donated food.
The donation was part of the University’s Keele Green Move Out 2017 scheme, where students moving out of campus Halls of Residence donate food and household items.
Huw Evans, Environmental Manager at Keele University, said: “This year’s Green Move Out scheme was a great success, and we are delighted that our students have helped vulnerable people in our local community.
“This year Keele worked with our Local food bank and Tesco who together donated 300 empty crates that we delivered to our student halls. Our students then filled these crates over the summer totalling three tonnes of food, helping to provide meals for people in crisis”
“All of this could only have been achieved by the fantastic work of the University’s Accommodation team and portering staff who helped with the storage, collection and delivery of the items. It’s great to see everyone working together for a good cause.”
Students also donated a range of unwanted items, from crockery to ironing boards, which were sold on to incoming students raising over £400 for Think:Green, a student-led service that provides a platform to work on sustainable and environmental ideas.
The University also works with other local charities throughout the year to donate surplus furniture and other items. One of these is the British Heart Foundation (BHF) who have donation points on campus for clothes and other items. Over the last few years Keele students have donated over £20,000 pounds worth of items to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Mr Evans added: “At Keele, we want to see as little thrown in the bin as possible, so we will always try to find a way for things to be reused and recycled, whether by donating to a charity, school or finding a sustainable way to recycle it. We want to reduce waste and make a social impact too.”