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Manchester success at MEN Environment Awards

13 Oct 2014

The University of Manchester achieved great success by winning the Environmental Services Waste Prevention award at the Manchester Evening News Environment Awards on Thursday 9th October

People on stage at awards ceremony

In partnership with Manchester City Council, British Heart Foundation, Manchester Student Homes and MMU, we encourage students leaving halls and student houses off-campus to donate their unwanted items to charities who could benefit from them instead of dumping them into landfill. The scheme has been running since 2009 and has grown from strength to strength.

This year has been fantastic for the partnership and UoM have seen a significant increase in donations from last year.  In total, across the partnership we have donated 16,651 bags (2013 saw 8,788 bags donated), with UoM halls more than doubling their donations from 2013-2014. A total of 183 tonnes of materials were saved from being disposed into landfill and the donations raised over £230 000 for the British Heart Foundation to help tackle heart disease in the UK. 

86 student volunteers from the Manchester Leadership Programme were involved with the creation and delivery of packs which go out to 80 000 students across Manchester. 

Al Clark, Environmental Coordinator, said “this is a fantastic initiative which has helped the University raise the profile of thinking about what we waste and being able to further enhance our commitment to social responsibility”. 
 
Kirsty Hutchison, Volunteering and Community Engagement Consultant, said “once again this shows how students care about their community and want to get involved to make a difference to the world around them”.