The Students’ Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU) has announced their annual Big Give initiative will return this month, encouraging Bournemouth University (BU) students and staff to donate unwanted items as they pack up for the summer.
Both students and staff are invited to donate unwanted clothes, accessories, books, electrical items, and unopened non-perishable food to help those in need and raise charitable funds, rather than letting it go to waste.
Since The Big Give was launched in 2013, BU students living in halls of residence have donated over 100 metric tonnes of unwanted items, raising over £200,000 for The British Heart Foundation (BHF) and £17,000 for PramaCare.
Last year, £60,375 was raised for The British Heart Foundation through The Big Give.
Tim Reeves, University Account Executive at The British Heart Foundation, said: “The British Heart Foundation is proud to work side-by-side with the Students’ Union as part of their Big Give initiative.
“Donations from both students and staff have helped us to fight the challenge of heart and circulatory diseases through life-changing research.”
This will be the third year that local charity PramaCare will work with SUBU to provide on-campus donation bins and street collections to 50 streets, which will cover approximately 2,000 houses in Winton and Talbot Village with a high student population. Last year, over 750 bags were collected to help raise over £10,000 for PramaCare.
Aaron Head, Head of Retail & Facilities at PramaCare, said: “We are pleased to be working with SUBU for a third year, saving items going to landfill whilst raising vital funds for the charity.”
SUBU’s Vice-President Welfare & Community, Fatima Farha, said: “This is a quick and easy way for students to contribute to the local community and create a circular economy.
“Once donations have been collected, the charities will be invited to sell the stock at a thrift shop pop-up sale on campus at the start of the new academic year in September.”
Gillian Lewis, Community Projects Lead at SUBU, said: “We have a handy Big Give Booklet which contains useful information on where students can donate all their unwanted stuff in the local area, including larger furniture items, bicycles and old IT equipment.
“Whilst primarily for BU students and BU staff, members of the wider community who are located close to campus are also welcome to participate and make donations.”
Students living in halls of residence can find a donation point on-site from May to September. Street collections commence from May to July, with donation points in Winton car parks on Latimer Road and Cranmer Road.
On-campus bins will be ready for donations from Monday 28 April until the end of August.
If you have any questions about The Big Give, please email subusustainability@bournemouth.ac.uk.
You can also visit SUBU’s website to find out more information on how students and staff can get involved with the Big Give.